iFind And Keep You
by Snapplelinz
Summary: "Now that I've found you again, I'm never letting you go." The Additional M-Rated Chapters to 'iLost And Found'.
1. iCount The Hours

**Author's Note: Hey, everyone! Wow, has it really been 2 weeks since I stopped writing 'iLost And Found'? Very surreal indeed. But the good news is that the story's far from over. I've decided to be nice and post the first five instalments of this story on FF for your viewing pleasure. I think we're going to have a lot of fun together from here on out ; )**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own iCarly or Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, the Bollywood film which catapaulted this story into an overnight Internet sensation : )  
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**7 March, 2026**

_**San Francisco – The Westin St Frances Hotel**_

_Carly's eyes were alight and darkened with desire the closer Freddie got towards her. He had closed the gap between them in seconds and attacked her lips ferociously. It wasn't long before they fell back onto the bed, Freddie on top of Carly as he continued kissing her and kneading her skin with his finger tips. Carly shuddered from Freddie's ministrations as she felt all of her clothes suddenly being removed in one swift manoeuvre. Now, she was completely naked before him and he before her as his hands traced every inch of her bare skin, his eyes blackened with lust. _

_Carly felt her back hit the duvet beneath her as Freddie covered his naked body with hers, kissing her fervently all the while. Carly was drowning slowly in Freddie's sweet embrace, aching to be close to him in every way possible. She took a moment to just trace the skin on Freddie's cheek as she gazed up at him with wonder in her eyes. _

"_I've wanted this for so long," she murmured truthfully. _

"_Me too. And now we can have it," Freddie agreed slowly, finding her lips in the darkness once more. _

_Carly held her breath as Freddie placed himself at her entrance, then she gasped in pleasure when he filled her up to the core. They began moving together in perfect unison; first slowly, then rapidly with each passing second. Carly's trembling hands moved towards Freddie's shoulders while his hands moved to her waist as he began thrusting into her with painstaking precision. They panted and moaned together as their joined bodies moved in sync with each other's approaching orgasms. _

"_Oh, Freddie, I want you so much," Carly moaned. _

"_I want you too, Carly. I'm not going anywhere." Freddie answered truthfully in-between pumping himself in and out of her. _

"_Freddie," Carly sighed in bliss as Freddie continued pleasuring her with torturous persistence and patience, his raspy breath like music to her ears. _

"_Freddie…"_

"_FREDDIE!" _

Carly awoke to the sound of her own voice calling out Freddie's name in deafening clarity with a sudden jolt. With her heart hammering erratically in her chest, Carly pushed the sweaty clumps of her hair out of her face and glanced at the alarm clock on the pedestal beside her. It was just after 3am. Carly groaned and fell back against her pillow with disappointment, all too aware of the moisture that had begun pooling between her legs during her erotic dream about her fiancé.

It had been like this ever since she and Freddie had finally decided to embark on a romantic relationship. In the beginning, it had been an endless array of trips back and forth between New York and San Francisco while Carly and Freddie figured out how to organise their lives. While all of this had been happening, Carly had asked Freddie if they could take things slowly, since they'd been out of each other's lives for so long. And that had included not having sex. The last thing Carly wanted was for them to rush into anything and push the boundaries of their romantic relationship too quickly before they were ready to take the next step, which would be marriage. But that didn't necessarily stop Carly's imagination from working on overdrive whenever she was near Freddie, especially when she considered just how madly in love she was with him.

If Freddie had had his way, he would've proposed to Carly right after she had come to San Francisco and told him that she loved him. But out of respect for Carly's feelings, he had decided not to overwhelm her too much. After all, she had just run out on one of her weddings; the last thing Freddie wanted was to scare Carly off completely. It wasn't as if they didn't love each other; but they both knew that after everything they'd been through together and apart, things needed to unfold as slowly and as naturally as possible.

So for Freddie, the first order of business was getting Carly to finally agree to move to San Francisco and move in with him, his daughter and his mother. It wasn't that Carly hadn't wanted to do that in the first place. But again, it was mostly a question of wrapping up her affairs in New York. And that involved getting out of her lease, quitting her job at Random House and moving all of her stuff over to Freddie's home, which had taken at least 3 months. And then there was a question of finding a new job once she got to San Francisco. Carly went to numerous interviews at local radio stations before she got the job at WILD 94.9. And once all of those issues had been resolved, Carly and Freddie were finally free to pursue their newfound romance without too many distractions.

It was a complete whirlwind for both of them from the start. Neither of them anticipated just how easy it would for them to take this step in their lives as well as the sudden ease and comfort of their interactions. Every time that they went out on dates together, Carly always marvelled at Freddie's ingenuity at being so romantic each time, wondering idly if he'd ever been this creative with Sam. Freddie in turn watched Carly's natural interactions with his daughter, as if they'd known each other all their lives, and it made Freddie's heart swell thinking about how perfectly Carly fit in with his family.

Whatever the case, they found themselves falling in love with each other more and more as time passed. So, it shouldn't have come as a surprise when Freddie proposed 4 months into their relationship. But it was still unexpected when Freddie whisked Carly away on an unexpected trip to New York so that she could visit all of her friends and favourite places in the city. She should've instinctively known when they ended up at the Empire State Building at the end of the night and there wasn't a single drop of rain in the sky. While Carly had been fiddling around in her purse trying to retrieve her digital camera, she failed to notice the mischievous grin etched on Freddie's face while he watched her:

"_Come on, Carly. You've got to get a picture of it!" Freddie implored impatiently with a wide smile on his face._

"_I'm going as fast as I can, Freddie! Sheesh, what's the rush?" Carly demanded wonderingly as she glanced up momentarily at Freddie. _

"_I told you, there's a low-flying aircraft flying in the distance. If you hurry, we can still catch it and get a good picture to show to our friends." Freddie answered rapidly. _

"_How do you know it's not a UFO?" Carly quipped dryly as she finally found her camera and moved towards the observation deck. _

"_It could be. All the more reason to take the picture. We could be stinkin' rich if we sell it to 'The Enquirer'." Freddie teased lightly. _

"_Perfect. Something to tell the grandkids one day." Carly returned, matching his tone as she began toggling the 'zoom' button on her camera to get a decent view. _

_Instead of seeing the low-flying aircraft that Freddie had mentioned, a huge object had taken that particular opportunity to float slowly past the Empire State Building, right in front of Freddie and Carly on their right. _

"_Freddie, that's not a low-flying aircraft, that's a blimp!" Carly exclaimed in disappointment. _

"_What does it say?" Freddie asked curiously, referring to the message written across the blimp in shining neon lights. _

_Carly groaned audibly and trained her camera onto the blimp to get a better view. She read through the message at least three times before it finally sunk in. It read:_

**_CARLY SHAY, WILL YOU MARRY ME?_**

_Carly gasped loudly and turned around to face Freddie, who had gotten down on one knee with a small box in his hand. _

_You gave me something like loving_

_And took me in so soon_

_You took my feelings from nothing_

_And came back at noon_

"_Oh my God," she whispered in awe as Freddie looked up at her with a serious expression on his face. _

"_I've been waiting for just the right moment to do this. But I wanted you to be the first to know. I love you, Carly Shay, I always have. Will you do me the honour of being my wife?" Freddie asked seriously, his eyes looking strangely moist. _

_Just meet me_

_I'm ready to show myself to you_

"_Oh, Freddie. Yes! Yes, I'll marry you!" Carly exclaimed exuberantly and practically bowled Freddie over when she jumped into his arms. _

"_Hmmph," Freddie mumbled as he steadied both his and Carly's weight so that they didn't end up plummeting to their deaths on one of the happiest night of their lives._

_So if I lose my patience_

_You must try to understand_

_Try to understand_

_So if I lose my patience_

_Oh yeah_

_Carly then wrapped her arms around Freddie's neck and kissed him passionately. Freddie reciprocated in turn, holding onto her tightly as he hoisted her higher into the air. Carly was still kissing Freddie when he put her down, standing on her tiptoes and holding him close to her own body. When they finally broke apart, the two of them had radiant smiles on their faces. Carly began crying when Freddie reached out for her left hand and gingerly placed the engagement ring on her fourth finger. Carly glanced down at her hand and gasped. The ring was perfect in every possible way: 24 carats with a medium-sized glittering diamond in the middle and tiny sapphire stones encrusted around it. _

"_It's beautiful," she murmured truthfully as she finally locked eyes with Freddie._

"_You're beautiful," Freddie stated as his eyes swept over Carly. _

"_Freddie, you don't have to keep flattering me. I've already agreed to marry you," Carly teased airily. _

"_Well, too bad. You're staggering." Freddie responded earnestly as he traced Carly's cheek with a lone finger. _

"_How did I get so lucky? I love you so much, Freddie Benson." Carly replied genuinely as she cupped Freddie's face in her hands. _

"_I love you too, Carly Shay. Always." Freddie stated sincerely as he enveloped her lips with his own once more…_

'_Cause you make me feel_

_Yeah, yeah_

'_Cause you make me feel wild_

_You touched my inner smile_

_You got me in the mood_

_Come on, make your move_

_And free me_

Carly glanced down at her engagement ring with a dreamy grin on her face. After making a reservation for the night in the exact same room at the Plaza where they had shared their first kiss, it was a wonder that Carly hadn't ended up ripping off Freddie's clothing during their stay. But then again, they had been sharing a bed for months now after she'd moved in with him; they were able to cuddle together each night without things getting too overheated. Most of the time.

So many weeks of preparation and anticipation, and the day was finally upon them. In just a few hours, she and Freddie were finally going to be husband and wife. She couldn't wait to talk to him, even if she couldn't technically see him before walking down the aisle. With a smile etched on her face, Carly leant over towards the pedestal, grabbed the hotel phone and began dialling Freddie's number.

Freddie laid awake on his bed the floor beneath Carly's room. He too had been contemplating the pending nuptials and his heart soared at the prospect. He gave a start at the phone ringing suddenly beside him and glanced quizzically at the alarm beside it. Was it already 3am? Had he really allowed himself no sleep, thinking of Carly all the while and their future together? He leant over and picked up the receiver.

"Hello?" he asked quizzically.

Carly bit down on her bottom lip with exhilaration as she heard his scintillating voice drifting through the receiver.

"Hey, it's me. Did I wake you?" Carly asked tentatively.

"Carly? Hey. No, I was already awake. What are you still doing up?"  
Freddie questioned wonderingly.

"Couldn't sleep. So I thought I'd call and say 'hey'." Carly answered shyly.

"Aw, that's so sweet of you. I couldn't sleep either." Freddie admitted gently.

"Thinking about tomorrow?" Carly asked curiously.

"Uh-huh. I'm so excited, Carly. I can't wait to be married to you." Freddie declared in exhilaration, his face brightening of its own accord.

"I can't wait to be married to you too, Freddie. You finish writing your vows?" Carly asked curiously.

"Carly, the wedding's tomorrow. What do you think?"

"So no, then." Carly teased flippantly, causing Freddie to roll his eyes.

"Very funny, Carly." Freddie quipped dryly.

"I'm sorry, but you left yourself wide open, Freddie. Last time I asked, you hadn't thought of anything to write besides 'I love you'." Carly joked lightly.

"Well I happen to think that's a pretty good place to start when writing one's own vows." Freddie retorted knowingly.

"Sure, but you've gotta have way more than that since we agreed to write our own personal vows." Carly pointed out seriously.

"Well don't worry your pretty head over it, because I'm finished writing my vows. Are you finished writing yours, Smarty-Pants?" Freddie demanded.

"Of course I'm finished writing mine. Why would I be giving you a hard time about not finishing your vows if mine weren't finished either?" Carly questioned in bewilderment.

"Because you like winding me up on purpose." Freddie offered sardonically.

"Oh yeah," Carly remarked devilishly before giggling.

"In a million years, did you think we'd end up here after everything we've been through?" she questioned seriously after a few seconds of silence.

"Honestly, no. Do you think it's lame to feel this happy?" Freddie asked laughingly.

"No. There's nothing lame about finding happiness and grabbing hold of it tightly so that it never goes away." Carly answered pensively.

"You're right. And that's why I love you." Freddie answered, a wide grin curling on his lips.

_You make my wishes as much as_

_Your kisses make me blue_

_You've found my river_

_Now will you escape away too?_

He was surprised when he heard Carly suddenly sigh heavily into the receiver.

"Hey, why the sad face?" Freddie asked intuitively.

Carly sighed again before answering Freddie.

"I love being able to talk to you like this since we can't see each other till the wedding. But I think I should probably hang up soon." Carly responded reluctantly.

"Why? We only just started talking." Freddie stated dejectedly.

"I know. But you're driving me crazy, Freddie." Carly admitted frankly.

"Excuse me?" Freddie asked with a soft chuckle.

"Well, I can't blame you entirely, since I'm the one who called you. I wanted to hear your voice." Carly admitted truthfully.

"And that's bad because…?" Freddie trailed off quizzically.

"Because the reason I can't sleep right now is because I had a dream about you that made me wake up and now I can't get it out of my head." Carly replied shyly while twirling the phone cord idly around her index finger.

"What was the dream about?" Freddie asked in an intrigued tone, gripping the phone even more tightly in his hand.

"You know what? Forget I even mentioned it. I'm hanging up now," Carly interjected self-consciously.

"No, wait, Carly! What was the dream about?" Freddie pressed eagerly.

"Promise you won't laugh?"

"I promise I won't laugh."

"Okay, well…I was kinda having a dream about you."

"Really? What was I doing?" Freddie questioned curiously.

"Me." Carly answered simply.

_But baby, I'm ready_

_I'm falling into you_

Carly's straight-forward response took Freddie completely by surprise. He glanced down awkwardly at his bare chest and realised that even more moisture had formed along the rivulets of his toned chest at the mention of Carly's dream. He didn't dare look further south to see what Carly's words had done to the rest of his body.

"W-w-what's funny about that?" Freddie asked hoarsely, trying very hard to make his voice sound as normal as possible.

"I guess it's not funny in the strict sense of the word. More like inconvenient." Carly answered wryly.

"Why inconvenient?" Freddie asked idly.

"Because…I need to get a good sleep, considering that we're leaving for our honeymoon straight after the reception. And all these dreams about you are keeping me awake." Carly responded wearily.

"Dreams, as in plural? Just how many are we talking about here?" Freddie asked with an elated guffaw.

"Freddie, you promised you wouldn't laugh." Carly whined.

"I'm not laughing, I swear. How many?" Freddie asked more calmly, eager to hear more.

"A few."

"How many is a few?"

"A few is a few, Freddie." Carly retorted exasperatedly.

"Aw come on, Carly. You can't leave me hanging here." Freddie complained vehemently.

Carly shook her head with a wry grin on her face and leant back against her pillow once more.

"Okay, I've been having these dreams pretty much since we got together. But they've been occurring even more since you proposed and we spent that night together in New York." Carly conceded.

"I have dreams about you too." Freddie admitted seriously.

_So if I lose my patience_

_You must try to understand_

_Try to understand_

This caused Carly to sit upright in her bed once more.

"Really?" she asked in awe, her grip on the phone increasing with each passing second.

"Of course."

"How often?"

"Carly, I'm a guy. How often do you think?" Freddie asked laughingly.

"Seriously, Freddie." Carly pressed.

Freddie sighed before answering.

"Okay. They pretty much started before we even got together, probably after that time we spent at Camp Dreamland when we got caught out in the rain. But I guess I'm always thinking about you because I just want to be with you. But I understand why you wanted to wait; it was the right thing to do for both of us, considering what we've been through together and apart. I hope you know that I would never have pressured you into that before you were ready." Freddie stated sincerely.

"Of course I know that, Freddie. That's why I love you so much; you're always so considerate of my feelings, no matter how irrational they are. But sometimes, my mind does wander…" Carly trained off demurely as her hand unconsciously moved towards the nape of her neck where she liked Freddie to touch her the most when he kissed her.

"Me too." Freddie confessed softly as he idly began tracing a circle around his naval with a lone finger, imagining that it was Carly's.

"We did the right thing to wait this long, right?" Carly asked uncertainly while pointedly ignoring the hardening of her peaks beneath her pyjama tank top.

"Of course. Besides, we'll be married tomorrow and then we can do whatever we want after that." Freddie answered stoically while ignoring the bulge in his boxers beneath the covers.

Both of them were resting their heads against their pillows once more; lying flat on their backs with their hotel phones propped up against their ears.

_So if I lose my patience_

_Oh yeah_

"Think about it. In just a few hours, we'll finally be able to start our lives together." Carly murmured wistfully.

"I can't wait." Freddie answered earnestly.

"We should probably try and get some sleep now," he added more reluctantly after a second or two.

"I know," Carly agreed wryly.

"Just a few more hours." Freddie promised softly.

"Just a few hours." Carly agreed readily.

"Good night, Carly. Sweet dreams." Freddie greeted with only a hint of teasing evident in his voice.

Carly chuckled aloud at that.

"You too. Oh, and more thing," she added seriously.

"What's that?"

"I love you." Carly concluded simply.

Freddie smiled broadly at this, feeling like his heart was literally expanding with long-repressed joy.

"I love you too." Freddie answered without hesitation.

'_Cause you make me feel_

_Yeah, yeah_

'_Cause you make me feel wild_

_You touched my inner smile_

_You got me in the mood_

_So come on and make your move_

_And touch my inner smile_

_Come and get my inner smile_

_Smile, smile_

_Yeah_

"Do you think you could stay on the line for a couple more minutes? Hearing you breathe helps me fall asleep." Carly stated quietly.

"Sure." Freddie responded gently.

_Sometimes I need to be alone_

_Sometimes I need for you to phone_

He pressed the receiver closer to his ear and listened intently to Carly's breathing on the other end. She in turn kept her phone close to her own ear as her eyes fluttered between opening and closing. The rhythmic pattern of Freddie's breath was slowly lulling her right back to sleep, as if he was lying beside her. Freddie would've happily stayed on the phone all night long listening to Carly breathe if he didn't hear a distinct snore escape her mouth on the other end.

"What am I marrying? The woman of my dreams or a lawnmower?" Freddie joked more to himself.

"Carly?" he asked tentatively.

When Carly made no response save to snore some more, Freddie knew that she was in fact fast asleep.

_Sometimes you make me feel so high_

_Sometimes I ask myself, 'why?'_

"Night, Carly. Love you." Freddie greeted one more time before gently hanging up the phone.

Then he went straight back to what he had been doing before Carly called: thinking about her.

The phone had slipped from Carly's ear down towards her chest where she still held it as tightly as ever. A wide smile had spread onto her face while she slept soundly, possibly dreaming of certain happiness which was just a few hours away now.

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**Musical References:**

**1) "Inner Smile" by Texas**

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**Author's Notes: Alright, folks. Give it to me straight: how did I do? Sorry if I wound anyone up with the Creddie lemon at the beginning of the chapter. What can I say? I'm a tease till the very end. But you won't have to wait too long for a real Creddie lemon in this story. In fact, you should expect lemon as in plural for this story ; ) What? Don't give me that look. The sign clearly says 'M-rated chapters'. So there's still time to bail if you don't want to read further. But don't blame me if you miss out on all the fun. Now, onto the next chapter. Cheerio!  
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	2. iGet Married

**Author's Note: "Here comes the bride, all fat and wide..." Ha ha, just kidding. Here it is, the moment you've all been waiting: Freddie and Carly's wedding day. Since I practically hinted at it in chapter 21 of 'iLost and Found', I thought it was only fair that I give you the low-down on the happy occasion. So without further ado...**

**Disclaimer: Sigh, I still don't own iCarly or anything else I've mentioned before since we're well out of the realms of 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' now ; )  
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**7 March, 2026**

_**San Francisco - The Palace of Fine Arts**_

The usually tranquil tourist attraction was currently a hive of activity. It was fast approaching 6pm and the wedding was scheduled to start promptly at 7pm, since Carly didn't believe in being late for her own wedding. And the wedding planner and her horde of employees whom Carly and Freddie had hired were working against the clock to have everything ready in time for the ceremony.

There were a group of people on ladders attaching what looked like streamers of fresh white Viburnum and corn-blue Delphinium flowers in bloom across the arch where the wedding ceremony would be occurring. Another set of people were unravelling a long and plush red carpet which would make up the aisle while other people were unfolding stacks of white chairs and placing them on either side of the make-shift aisle. Once the carpet had been laid out, another harassed-looking woman began sprinkling Virburnum petals across the red carpet with as much precision as she could muster given the circumstances. All that was left to do now was to hang the baubles of white and blue lights over the arch and make-shift marble pillars on either side of the groups of chairs, since sunset would be occurring around 8pm. Marissa stood watching the work while biting her nails in a frenzy. She turned to the wedding planner, Marie, who happened to be sauntering past with her clipboard in hand.

"Are you sure you have everything set up in the ballroom back at the hotel already? Because it doesn't look like you're going to be finished here in time before the ceremony." Marissa pointed out haphazardly.

"Mrs. Benson, I assure you that everything is under control. I've just spoken to my assistant who is currently overseeing the decorations in the Grand Ballroom and they're almost finished there. There's nothing to be worried about." Marie answered as diplomatically as possible while plastering a wide smile on her face.

"Of course, I understand that this is your job and you know exactly what you're doing. But are you sure you don't need me to go check on the caterers or something to make sure they've prepared the right meals for the reception? Oh my God, look how they're hanging those lights. They're bound to fall down at that angle-" Marissa piped up in alarm before Marie interrupted.

"That won't be necessary, Mrs. Benson. Like you said, it's my job to oversee everything, so I will make sure that everything gets done on time before Freddie and Carly walk down the aisle. All you need to do at this point is sit back and relax." Marie chided soothingly while putting a comforting arm around Marissa's shoulder and delicately steering her away from the arch.

"Well if you insist-"

"I do. Karen!" Marie yelled out unexpectedly, causing Marissa to jump back in fright.

Karen, who had just finished sprinkling flower petals along the aisle, came sprinting towards Marie and Marissa.

"Would you please take Mrs. Benson around the back and check on the status of available parking by the visitor's entrance?" Marie asked politely.

Karen nodded in response and smiled brightly at Marissa.

"Of course. After you, Mrs. Benson." Karen implored courteously while hanging back slightly to talk to Marie.

"Is there anything else you'd like me to do for Mrs. Benson?" Karen asked in an undertone while Marissa was now a few paces away.

"Sure. Slip her some Valium if you have any. I know she means well, but she's driving me crazy telling me how to do my job. How do the groom and the bride deal with that every single day?" Marie asked teasingly.

"Years of experience, oh learned wedding planner." Karen concluded smoothly before winking at Marie and walking steadily after Marissa.

Marie grinned at this and went back to consulting her clipboard. With only 4 months to prepare, it was a wonder that this wedding was even happening at all. But judging by the look on the bride and groom's faces, they would've been just as content with getting married at City Hall. No matter what transpired during this particular day, it was obvious to anyone with eyes that the soon-to-be-married couple were madly in love with each other. Marie smiled at the thought and went to inspect the progress of the lights.

Freddie had just emerged from his dressing room, clad in a black tuxedo with a white dress shirt, a light silver waist coat with a pearly white artificial rose attached to it and a light silver bow-tie across his collar. He moved towards the newly constructed aisle where his two best men, Shane and Gibby, stood waiting for him in similar attire. The two of them glanced up from their conversation and smirked at Freddie's look of unease before sniggering loudly.

"Well, well. Isn't the bridegroom the very picture of contentment, Mr. McCoy?" Gibby asked with an intriguingly low British accent while stroking an imaginary moustache on his upper lip.

"Why, I don't know, Mr. Gibson. Me thinks that the bridegroom looks on the verge of heaving up the contents of his breakfast." Shane offered facetiously in a high-pitched British accent while stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"Ha ha, you two are a laugh riot. But you are right, I think I'm gonna be sick." Freddie admitted painstakingly.

"Maybe you should adjust your collar, it looks a little tight." Shane observed casually in his normal voice.

"It's not the collar, Shane. It's the wedding. I'm freaking out." Freddie answered tersely while he began pacing around the arch.

"Got the cold feet, huh?" Gibby asked sympathetically.

Freddie nodded vigorously while mopping his sweaty forehead with a handkerchief, afraid to open his mouth in case he puked on the spot.

"Surely not about Carly, right?" Shane asked in alarm.

"Absolutely not. Carly's about the only thing I'm really sure about with this whole thing. The 'getting married' part isn't even what's freaking me out the most. I mean, I've done it already before. It's just that…why did she pick me?" Freddie asked unexpectedly, causing Shane and Gibby to stare at him in confusion.

"Why wouldn't she pick you, Freddie? From one brosef to another, you're a great guy and a terrific dad. But mostly, she picked you because she loves you." Gibby answered truthfully while patting his best friend affectionately on the shoulder.

"And I love her too, so much. But can I make her happy?" Freddie asked anxiously as he stared off into space.

"Freddie, you already make her happy. The rest will be a piece of cake after that." Shane chided reassuringly while clapping Freddie affectionately on the back in turn.

"He's right you know," Spencer piped up unexpectedly from a few paces away.

"Spencer, you're finally here!" Freddie exclaimed cheerfully as he went to hug his soon-to-be-brother-in-law, who was wearing similar attire as his other best men.

"Where else would I be? Listen to your best friends about Carly. I've known my kid sister longer than any of you and I can honestly say without a doubt that she's been at her happiest when she's with you, Freddie. Don't ever doubt that or take it for granted." Spencer answered seriously.

"I won't." Freddie responded steadily, growing steadily confident with each passing second.

"Attaboy." Spencer congratulated while cupping Freddie's cheeks and giving him a reassuring slap for good measure, causing Freddie to wince slightly.

Just then, Reuben and little Matthew came rushing down the aisle, also clad in a 'best man' tuxedo, while Reuben wore a simple black tuxedo.

"Sorry we're losing Eggo Waffles. It took a little hammering, but we finally got Squeaker shining in his penguin feathers." Reuben greeted rapidly.

"I look stupid, don't I?" Matthew asked while self-consciously fingering the stiff collar on his dress shirt.

"Don't worry about it, Matthew. You look great. Carly will really like your suit." Freddie offered kindly while tapping his youngest groomsman's chin warmly.

Matthew instantly perked up at the mention of Sam and Freddie's only daughter, who was becoming quite the looker the older she got.

"You think so?" he asked hopefully of Freddie.

"I know so. But no sneaking in stolen kisses during the wedding. I'm watching you." Freddie warned sternly while motioning with his two fingers towards his own eyes.

Matthew gulped subtly at Freddie's warning while all the older men glanced at each other with knowing looks and sly grins on their faces.

Hundreds of meters away from the aisle up several flights of stairs, Carly could be seen sitting in a tiny room within the Palace of Fine Arts, getting ready for the wedding. From her vantage point, she had a side-view of the rows of the chairs and part of the red carpet leading towards the arch. But to her intense disappointment, she couldn't see Freddie or the other groomsmen, who she felt sure were already standing in place, ready and waiting for her.

She glanced up quickly as Kelly entered the little room, already wearing her lavender Matron of Honour dress, which was a shade darker than the remaining three bridesmaids.

"Hey, everything okay downstairs?" Carly asked nervously.

"Everything's fine. You're gonna love it. Are you okay?" Kelly asked with a small smile on her face.

"Uh-huh, I think so." Carly answered rapidly while her heart began thumping loudly in her chest.

"What's up? You're looking a little green," Kelly chided teasingly while rubbing Carly's back soothingly as she sat in front of the mirror before her.

"I'm okay, just feeling a little queasy. It feels like there are a million butterflies in my stomach. Or maybe just giant snakes." Carly confessed haphazardly while sucking in a breath to calm herself.

"It's okay to be nervous, Carly." Kelly stated calmly.

"I know. I just can't help thinking about all those people down there who'll be staring at me while I'm walking down the aisle-"

"Don't think about them. Just focus on walking towards Freddie, the man that you love and who loves you back." Kelly intercepted sincerely while glancing at Carly through the mirror.

A broad smile crept on Carly's face at the mention of Freddie's name and she swivelled around on her chair to face one of her oldest friends.

"I love him so much and we're finally getting married, Kelly, after all this time. We're finally together after everything that's happened. I just need to know that I can make him happy." Carly admitted more to himself.

"You can and you will. This is one wedding you won't be bailing out on in a hurry," Kelly reassured her as she cupped Carly's cheeks affectionately while Carly chuckled at Kelly's joke.

"There's someone outside to see you," Kelly added slowly and stood up to open the door wider.

Before Carly could ask Kelly who she was talking about, her eyes widened in amazement at just who stood outside waiting for her. She was already wearing her pale lavender bridesmaid dress and her blonde hair was tied up in a chique bun. And she was sporting a wide smile on her face that was so reminiscent of Sam that it made Carly's chest ache slightly right before the dull ache was replaced with overwhelming joy.

"Melanie, oh my God! You came!" Carly gushed in greeting as she moved towards Sam's twin sister and hugged her warmly.

"Sorry I'm a little late." Melanie greeted warmly while hugging Carly back steadily.

While Freddie and Carly had still been in the process of finding a venue for the wedding some two months ago, Carly had finally decided to invite both Emily and Melanie, asking specifically if Melanie would like to be part of the wedding party. It wasn't that Carly had been previously unwilling, but her reservation in not contacting them sooner had been because she had thought they wouldn't want to come to hers and Freddie's wedding because of Sam. Carly was finally ready to make peace with the past and part of that involved mending old bridges between her and Sam's family in the wake of this happy occasion. But after sending both Emily and Melanie letters and speaking to them in depth on the phone, neither had given any indication that they were coming, until now.

"I'm so glad you're here," Carly murmured gratefully when she and Melanie had finally broken apart.

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't have missed this for the world. I'm just sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. It's been kinda crazy these past few weeks." Melanie admitted almost shyly.

"Is Emily here too?" Carly inquired curiously.

"Unfortunately, she couldn't make it, but not because she didn't want to come. The circus is in the final legs of its tour in Japan and she can't get away. I was visiting with her up till a few days ago; she sent this present along with me to give to you before the wedding." Melanie explained before handing Carly a carefully wrapped gift.

Carly wordlessly took it from her hands, the object feeling light in her hands.

"Can I open it now?" she asked tentatively.

"Of course. Go ahead," Melanie urged eagerly.

Carly cautiously unwrapped the golden paper to find a painting inside a gilded frame. Attached to the painting was a small envelope. Carly took the envelope and opened it, revealing a short letter from Emily inside:

_Dearest Carly,_

_I hope this little present finds you on the happiest day of your life. I'm terribly sorry that I won't be able to share yours and Freddie's special day with you. Please don't think for a minute that I stayed away because of Sam. While I am still saddened almost every day when I think of my little girl, I am very happy that you and Freddie have found each other again after all this time. It's what Sam would've wanted for both of you, and for little Carly. Cherish every single day you have together; you never know when it'll be your last. I wish you all the happiness in the world for your new life together. _

_All my love,_

_Emily._

Carly began crying steadily as she clutched the letter close to her chest while both Kelly and Melanie watched her through moist eyes.

"She finished painting this a few days ago. I hope both you and Freddie like it." Melanie piped up sincerely.

Carly finally chanced a look at the painting and gasped in surprise. It was a picture of her, Sam and Freddie with their arms around each other. But they looked remarkably young and were standing in what looked like a large studio decorated with a wooden interior.

"This looks like a picture I have of the three of us," Carly murmured in awe.

"It is. Carly sent it to Mom along with a picture of you, her and Freddie in one of her letters while she was in Bucharest a few months ago." Melanie pointed out simply.

"It's beautiful." Kelly murmured in appreciation while giving Melanie a reassuring smile.

"The likeness is uncanny." Carly marvelled as she traced a lone finger along the canvas.

"Thank you, Melanie. For both you and Emily. This is more than I could've asked for." Carly gushed earnestly while glancing at Melanie.

"Are you sure you want me to be here, Carly? I understand how difficult this must be for you because I look so much like Sam." Melanie admitted painstakingly.

"It's okay, Melanie. I wouldn't have asked you to come if I didn't want you here. Freddie and Carly are still your family. And I think it's high time that we all start forgiving ourselves about the past and moving forward together." Carly answered seriously.

"Thank you," Melanie murmured hoarsely, finally succumbing to her own tears while hugging Carly tightly.

"The truth is...having you here makes me feel like Sam will still be part of this wonderful day somehow. Are you okay with that?" Carly asked nervously of her best friend's sister.

"Carly, if that's what you need today, then I'm happy to oblige." Melanie answered truthfully while cupping the back of Carly's head.

"Thank you, Melanie. For everything." Carly sniffed while choking back a few more tears.

"Oh my God, I need a tissue." Kelly announced with a slight gulp while fished around in her purse for some Kleenex at the moving display of emotion before her.

Just then, Helen, little Carly and Marissa entered the tiny room, wearing puzzled expressions at the sight of the three crying women before them.

"Aunt Melanie! You came!" little Carly exclaimed exuberantly and ran into her aunt's outstretched arms.

"Carly-Bear, look at you! You look gorgeous! How are you, kiddo?" Melanie asked warmly of her only niece.

"I'm fine, Aunt Melanie. I'm so glad you came; you look beautiful." Carly Marissa stated honestly.

"Thanks, honey. I wouldn't have missed seeing you for the world." Melanie responded earnestly while hugging little Carly once more and kissing her on the cheeks.

"Hey, why's everybody crying? This is a wedding." Helen pointed out teasingly, causing everyone to chuckle.

"Don't worry, Helen. These are tears of joy." Carly answered stoically while giving both Kelly and Melanie's shoulders a reassuring squeeze.

"Well, that's a good thing. Good Lord, look at the time! Carly, you still need to put on your dress and we need to do your make-up. Come on, everyone!" Marissa put in hurriedly.

Helen and little Carly disappeared along with Kelly and Melanie who helped them get into their bridesmaid dresses. Marissa stayed behind to help Carly slip into her wedding dress. By the time the bridesmaids entered the room once more, they each helped Carly put on her make-up and arrange her hair into curly tendrils that hung over her shoulders. By the time, they were all finished, they all stood surrounding the bride with looks of elation on their faces.

"Go on, take a look." Helen advised happily while gesturing to the large mirror in front of Carly.

Carly acquiesced and got to her feet, glancing at her reflection in the mirror. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her bridesmaids had done her make-up with as much of a natural look as possible, putting on only the lightest touch of rouge to her cheeks, a pale golden brown eye shadow on her lids, mascara and eyeliner to make her eyes sparkle and pale pink kiss-proof lip gloss.

This time around, Carly had decided to go for something less formal than her previous wedding dress when she nearly married Jake. She was wearing a sleeveless A-line satin dress with subtle beading around the trim of her bosom. There was a subtle silver floral print in the middle of the pearly white dress, going towards the bottom in a triangular design, which was the same colour as Freddie's waist coast on his tuxedo. The dress on the whole did wonders for Carly's body, outlining the curve of her waist and chest with delicate touches. She wore 4-inch pearly white high heels on her feet with thick straps going around each ankle carefully gilded with silver and white rind stones across the surface that complimented her wedding dress.

"Carly, you look beautiful." Marissa gushed through blurry eyes from the tears rolling down her cheeks.

Carly chuckled contentedly as more tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

"Okay, no more of that, or we're never gonna stop crying." Helen chided hurriedly while automatically grabbing the tissue that Kelly handed to her.

"Wow," Carly Marissa murmured in awe as she stared at Carly's attire.

"You think so?" Carly asked nervously of her younger counterpart.

"Absolutely. Daddy's eyes are gonna pop out when he sees you," Carly Marissa answered truthfully.

"Thanks, honey. You look like a knock-out yourself. Matthew's gonna go gaga when he sees you," Carly teased lightly while tapping little Carly's nose lightly while she stood on her haunches.

"You think so?" Carly Marissa asked brightly.

"Uh-huh."

"Thanks, Carly. But I'd still rather be wearing your dress than mine, purple's not really my colour. Can I wear it for my wedding day?" Carly Marissa asked with sudden eagerness.

Carly laughed uproariously and cupped little Carly's cheeks gently.

"Of course you can. I'm sure you'll probably change your mind later though when you realise how out of date this dress is. But if you still want it then, it's yours." Carly replied sincerely while kissing little Carly lightly on the forehead.

"Girl, she's right about the dress. But I got a good look at Freddie earlier and he's lookin' pretty fine hisself." Helen noted comically.

"Easy there, Helen. I think you might just beat me down to the altar before I get a chance to marry Freddie." Carly joked in horror.

"Then you'd better hurry up and get down there before I run away with your groom." Helen concluded firmly, causing all the women to laugh uproariously.

Just then, someone knocked gently on the door and let themselves in.

"I hope I'm not interrupting." Carly's dad greeted courteously as he gazed around the room.

"Daddy!" Carly greeted excitedly as she hugged her father, who was dressed in his best navy-blue military uniform complete with numerous gold, blue and red badges and insignia, polished especially for the occasion.

"Ladies, you all look very lovely. But unfortunately, you all need to head downstairs right away. Reverend Patrick is ready and waiting with the groom." Steven Shay announced seriously.

"Okay, ladies. That's our cue. We'll see you downstairs." Kelly called out quickly as everyone filed out of the room, save for Steven and Carly.

Little Carly was last out of the door, but she stopped to give Steven a hug and a kiss first.

"See you downstairs, Admiral." She greeted airily.

"You too, Major." Steven greeted back with a wide grin on his face.

"And what about you, Lieutenant? How's my little girl holding up?" Steven asked fondly of his only daughter.

"I'm okay, Dad. Just a little nervous." Carly confessed truthfully.

"It's perfectly normal to have 'wedding jitters'. I know I did when your mom and I got married. Freddie's a good man and he'll take good care of you; I know the two of you will be very happy together." Steven responded earnestly.

"Really?" Carly asked softly.

"Really." Steven answered gently.

"Thanks, Dad. I'm so glad you're here." Carly murmured as she enveloped her father in a tight hug.

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't have missed my baby girl's wedding. It might be the only one in the family." Steven teased dryly.

"Oh, Dad. Spencer will find someone special in time." Carly replied knowingly.

"I know he will. I have something for you," Steven stated quickly and retrieved a velvet box from the inner pocket of his blazer.

Carly gasped when he opened up the box to reveal a pearly necklace, recognising it instantly as a Shay family heirloom.

"Your mother wore this necklace on our wedding day; it was given to her by your grandmother. Now, it's yours, Carly-Bear." Steven stated sincerely.

"Oh my God, Dad. Will you please put it on for me?" Carly asked softly beneath the beating of her thumping heart.

Steven came to stand behind her as she took her hair away from the back of her neck. He then unclasped the necklace and placed it around Carly's neck. Carly began crying steadily at the warmth of the pearls touching her skin while her father stood behind her, the two of them looking through the mirror.

"They look perfect on you." Steven murmured in awe, his hands on Carly's shoulders.

"They're beautiful. Thank you," Carly stated earnestly before enveloping her father in a warm embrace once more.

"I love you, Dad."

"I love you, Carly-Bear. Always." Steven murmured in turn while he cupped his daughter's face.

"Oh no, now you've ruined your make-up," he scolded lightly at the sight of tears running down Carly's cheeks.

"Water-proof make-up, Dad." Carly pointed out knowingly.

Steven smiled at this and handed Carly a handkerchief from his breast pocket while she dabbed at her eyes.

"Are you ready?" he asked her seriously.

"Yes." Carly answered without blinking.

"Alright, let's go, kiddo." Steven instructed gently.

Carly smiled up at her father and linked her arm through his as they walked towards the door.

* * *

It was a minute before 7pm and the guests were already seated. Freddie stood alone with Reverend Patrick underneath the brightly lit arch. The sky was now a mesh of orange and pink with the slightest trace of black cutting across the horizon; sunset was fast approaching. The best men and the bridesmaids (carrying bouquets of sweet pea flowers) were standing several meters away just out of sight as the pianist struck up a melodious piece on her piano. The guests turned in their seats as Carly's cousin's youngest daughter, 7 year old Brittany, began walking slowly down the aisle, carrying a wicker basket filled with white Waxflower petals as she began sprinkling them across the aisle as she walked gaily along. Next came the ring bearer, Freddie's cousin's youngest son, 7 year old Michael, carrying Marissa's velvety blue pouch with the rings in them while his parents watched his progress down the aisle anxiously.

_Lovers_

_Keep on the road you're on_

_Runners_

_Until the race is won_

Then the youngest of the wedding party walked slowly down the aisle towards Freddie and Reverend Patrick, little Carly Benson and little Matthew Inkleberry, their arms linked together while the guests cooed in appreciation at how adorable they looked together.

"You look really pretty, Carly." Matthew stated in a low whisper while glancing at the floral wreath that Carly wore in her hair, which was braided on the sides and tied at the back.

"Thanks, Matthew. You look really nice too." Carly whispered with a broad smile on her face while staring at Matthew's silver bow tie.

The two grinned at each other one last time before parting ways on either side of Freddie and Reverend Patrick.

Next came Helen on Shane's arm, looking really pleased with herself for being paired off with Freddie's best-looking groomsman in her opinion as they sauntered down the aisle together. Spencer and Melanie flanked them a few paces later, their arms linked together with broad smiles on their faces. Melanie nearly lost her composure when they got to the front and she chanced a glance at the first row on the left. Next to where Marissa sat (on her right) was a white chair unoccupied by anyone, save for a lone red rose strewn across the centre that was reserved especially for Sam. Spencer glanced down at her and smiled at her while giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. Melanie smiled back in turn as they eventually let go of each other's hands and moved to separate sides of the aisle. And finally, Kelly and Gibby came strolling down the aisle, both smiling broadly as they thought of their best friends getting married after all this time.

_Tonight_

_Maybe we're gonna run_

_Dreaming of the Osaka sun_

_Oh_

_Oh_

_Dreaming of when the morning comes_

The crowd got to their feet as they waited impatiently for Carly's arrival. Freddie too found himself craning his neck to stare down the red carpet as he waited anxiously for his bride to appear. Carly and Steven stood just beyond the sight of the crowd. They glanced up at one another momentarily before Carly linked her arm through her father's, her veil now covering her face as they calmly walked down the aisle together.

_Reign of love_

_I can't let go_

_To the sea I offer_

_This heavy load_

They slowly passed the crowd, each person beaming from ear to ear while they stared at the bride. But Carly only had eyes for one person in particular, and he was slowly coming into view, standing near Reverend Patrick with an unfathomable expression on his face. She couldn't stop herself from smiling the closer she got to Freddie; for all she cared, the crowd could disappear into a cloud of smoke as long as Freddie stood exactly where he was, his eyes locked on hers all the while.

In spite of her nervousness, Freddie couldn't stop himself from smiling broadly at Carly walking towards him on the arm of her father. She looked exquisite from head to toe, as if she was literally radiating with flecks of gold. They had finally made it to this point in time; from here on out, nothing else really mattered to him except the two of them being together.

_Reign of love_

_By the church we're waiting_

_Reign of love_

_My knees go praying_

Steven finally led Carly towards Freddie, who was smiling broadly at the sight of his bride. Steven then disentangled himself slowly from Carly and graciously gave Freddie her arm as the bride and groom entwined their hands together. Then Steven went and sat down on Marissa's left, his eyes looking strangely moist. Carly and Freddie glanced at each other momentarily, their hearts thumping in their chests and radiant smiles on their faces. Then they reluctantly turned away from each other to face Reverend Patrick, who now stood before them on a platform slightly higher above them. He fixed the happy couple with a glowing smile and instructed the guests to sit down.

"Family and friends, I welcome you all to celebrate the union of Carly Shay and Fredward Benson. Some of you have had the privilege to know both of them either through work or through schooling. Some of you have known them all your lives. I myself have only known them for approximately four months. As the reverend officiating their ceremony, I thought it would be prudent of me to take the opportunity to get to know them as individuals and as a couple before marrying them.

"In the past four months, I have spent time with them at their home, talked with them for hours over copious amounts of coffee and participated with them in their favourite activities. That has included spending many an hour rowing a boat together with Freddie in this very spot behind us here at the Palace of the Fine Arts. Since Carly isn't too fond of spending as much time close to the water, I decided to accompany her on one her favourite pastimes: shopping. I've even spent time watching Freddie and Carly participate in their favourite activity together as a couple, which is fencing. And I've spent just as much time watching them bicker during the very same activity that they love so much." Reverend Patrick concluded dryly, drawing numerous laughter and chuckles from the crowd of guests, including the bride and groom.

"And now you might ask me, what I have learnt about Freddie and Carly in all the time I've spent with them, together and separately? Only one thing of real consequence to me as a reverend. Freddie and Carly love each other deeply and passionately; and that's just the right amount you can hope for when you're about to enter a marriage, one of life's greatest adventures. But they've had an unfair advantage over many of us in knowing each other since they were young. But they haven't always been together, as some of you might've assumed like I did myself when I first met them. The loss of someone very dear to both of them almost prevented them from finding their way back to each other. I thank God that they had many people around them who cared for them dearly to intercede on their behalf when they were too blind to see that the love they had been desperately searching for all their lives was actually in front of them all along."

"And that is in fact what true love is at the end of the day: selfless, sacrificial, patient and forever enduring. At least, that's why I believe you've all assembled here today. Because you, like me, believe that true love can conquer each and every obstacle in life. That it will never wane in the face of hardship, poverty, sickness, even death. That it will always prevail and grow in strength and devotion with time. I stand here before all of you not just eagerly waiting to give Freddie and Carly to each other in marriage. But I also stand before you, eagerly waiting to participate in the love that they share for each other and celebrate here today, with their loved ones as their witnesses. The journey most certainly doesn't end with this day; this is just the beginning for the two of you. And hopefully, you will surrender all of your worries and doubts over to God and entrust your marriage to him. But most importantly, you must entrust yourselves to each other from here on out. For true love cannot exist without trust."

"That is my simple plea to both of you as you embark on this wondrous journey together. Always be kind to each other and build each other up so that your love may grow in confidence. But most importantly, be each other's friends, just like you have all along, by being talking to one another openly and honestly and being a pillar of strength to each other. For as Freddie correctly said once upon a time in a college lecture auditorium many years ago, true love is friendship. Hold onto that and cherish it forever." Reverend Patrick implored vehemently.

Freddie turned to face Carly momentarily, surprised that she had remembered his words after all this time, considering that he hadn't even mentioned that day to Reverend Patrick once during all of their conversations.

"You remembered?" Freddie mouthed in awe while facing his radiant bride.

Carly smiled and nodded slowly before turning to face Reverend Patrick once more.

"And now, we come to the part of the service where Freddie and Carly have prepared their own personal vows to say to one another. Freddie, will you please begin?" Reverend Patrick asked kindly of the nervous groom.

Freddie nodded and turned to face Carly once more, taking her hands in his own slightly moist ones as he looked her directly in the eye.

"Carly, I love you so much. After so many months (even years), we're finally here together, standing in front of everyone whom we love and who love us back. After Sam died, I thought that was it for me, Carly. I thought I'd already had my shot at happiness. But then you came along and just swept me off my feet. You were everything I wanted and needed without me even asking for it. We've had our ups and downs and there were so many times where I thought that I'd lost you forever. But you stuck with me somehow, even when I'd forgotten to hope for you. Thank you for coming back to me. Thank you for helping me believe in second chances again, Carly. Even though it's been a struggle to get where we are today, I will never regret a single second of it. Not if I can spend every single second of it with you. I can't make you any promises or guarantees in this life. But there are two things that I will always give to you freely. And that's my heart, and my love. I will always be your friend and I will always be there for you when you need me. I'm never letting you out of my sight ever again, Carly." Freddie declared vehemently while gazing lovingly back at Carly.

_You're just too good to be true_

_Can't take my eyes off of you_

_You'd be like heaven to touch_

_I wanna hold you so much_

_At long last love has arrived_

_And I thank God I'm alive_

_You're just too good to be true_

_Can't take my eyes off of you_

A few tears slipped from Carly's eyes as she gazed back at Freddie in amazement after hearing his words.

"Thank you, Freddie. Carly, will you please recite your personal vows to Freddie now?" Reverend Patrick implored gently.

Carly sucked in a deep breath while she took Freddie's hands in hers, which were trembling ever so slightly before gazing deep into his eyes.

"Freddie, I love you so much. We're finally here after all this time, on our wedding day in front of everyone whom we love and who love us in return. I've made a lot of mistakes and taken a lot of wrong turns in my life. But choosing you is the first thing I've ever done right. I may not have known it at the time, but you've always had my heart, Freddie. No matter how much I tried to shake you, you stuck with me somehow. Because your heart is just so wide and full of love; it used to scare me before. But I'm not afraid anymore because I know that our love for each other is real. I can't make you many guarantees in this life. But there is one thing I can promise with utmost sincerity. No matter what we go through or where we end up in our lives, I promise you that I will never leave your side. I won't run from you or from our problems. Whatever happens, we'll face it together. You can always count on me; I will always be there for you, Freddie. It's no longer a fantasy for me or just a silly wish on a star. I already have everything I need and want right in front of me, and I will always hold onto that. I'm never letting you go again, Freddie." Carly declared earnestly in every single syllable of her words.

_Pardon the way that I stare_

_There's nothing else to compare_

_The sight of you leaves me weak_

_There are no words left to speak_

_But if you feel like I feel_

_Please let me know that it's real_

_You're just too good to be true_

_Can't take my eyes off of you_

Freddie's eyes looked strangely moist under pending dusk and he tried his hardest to communicate his sincere gratitude for Carly's words with his eyes.

"Thank you, Carly. And now we proceed to the remainder of the wedding vows." Reverend Patrick concluded softly while gazing at the bride and groom, then the crowd behind them.

"Fredward Benson, do you take this woman, Carly Shay, to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and honour in all things? For richer or for poorer, until death parts you?"

"I do." Freddie answered without hesitation, his eyes locked on Carly's as they held each other's hands.

"Carly Shay, do you take this man, Fredward Benson, to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love and honour in all things? For richer or for poorer, until death parts you?"

"I do." Carly asked sincerely while giving Freddie's hands a reassuring squeeze and smiling broadly at him through her tears.

"The rings if you please," Reverend Patrick stated gently while glancing down kindly at little Michael, who stood nervously off to the side with the rings in the velvet pouch his hand.

Gibby and Kelly left their places on either side of Reverend Patrick and came to stand next to Freddie and Carly as they each took the rings from Michael's velvet pouch. Gibby handed Freddie a golden wedding band and clapped him enthusiastically on the back as Freddie turned to face Carly once more. He nervously took her left hand in his as he gently slipped the golden band on her fourth finger. Carly felt the gentle weight of the cold metal against her skin and it made her heart thump loudly with anticipation.

_I need you baby_

_If it's quite alright_

_I need you baby_

_To warm my lonely lights_

_I love you baby_

_Trust in me when I say it's okay_

Kelly handed Carly the remaining wedding ring and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder before it hung at her sides once more, a wide smile on her face. Carly glanced momentarily up at Freddie before lowering her eyes towards his left hand. She then took gently took his hand in hers as she slipped the golden band onto his fourth finger. Both of them glanced down at their hands, feeling perfectly at ease for the first time all day at the simple perfection of their matching golden-clad fingers before locking eyes with each other once more.

_Oh pretty baby_

_Don't let me down I pray_

_Oh pretty baby_

_Now that I've found you, stay_

_And let me love you_

_Oh baby, let me love you_

_Oh baby_

"It is with great pleasure that I now pronounce you husband and wife. Freddie, you may kiss your bride." Reverend Patrick advised with a broad smile on his face.

The crowd suddenly melted away when Freddie looked at Carly once more, a broad grin of anticipation on his face. All he could see and feel now was Carly's broad smile etched on her face as he lifted the veil away and their lips met in mid-air, rising and falling in the culmination of their declaration of love and passion for each other. The crowd began clapping exuberantly.

Steven clasped Marissa's hand gently while it rested on his knee while Marissa succumbed to her tears of joy, blowing her nose loudly with a handkerchief. Little Carly and Little Matthew stood on the stage alongside Freddie and Carly, jumping rapidly on the balls of their feet and cheering loudly. Helen suddenly grasped Shane out of nowhere and kissed him exuberantly on the lips when she saw how happy Freddie and Carly were. Melanie clapped enthusiastically with tears running down her cheeks while Spencer stood next to her, pumping his fist eagerly in the air. Gibby and Kelly looked at each other with smiles on their faces and grasped each other in a warm embrace while they celebrated the union of their two best friends. Even Marie looked on the verge of tears before clearing her throat loudly and clapping a hand against her clipboard while she cheered her clients on.

"Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends. I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Fredward Benson." Reverend Patrick concluded happily.

The crowd got to their feet and began clapping wildly, especially when Carly wrapped her arms around Freddie's waist and continued kissing him fervently amidst all the cheering. Freddie's hands went to Carly's waist in turn while he hoisted her up into the air, their eyes closed all the while.

* * *

**Musical References:**

**1) **"**Lovers In Japan/Reign Of Love" by Coldplay**

**2) **"**Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" by Lauren Hill**

* * *

**Author's Note: Okay, lay it on me. What did you think of the wedding scene? Ridiculously sappy or innately Creddie? In all honesty, this is my first attempt at writing a full on wedding scene for one of my FF stories. I kinda cheated a little in my first ever FF fic, 'A Suite Wedding', because the wedding that brought all the characters together wasn't ven the main focus (sheepish grin). I think I may have caught the wedding bug; so if you noticed a sudden change of name from me, you'll know why ; ) This has been your host, Mrs Ben Barnes, for another edition of 'Random Author's Note'. Thank you and goodnight!  
**


	3. iDance The Night Away

**Author's Note: Hey ya'll, what goes on, peeps? The Creddie wedding is far from over, there's still the wedding reception to look forward to. And then (my favourite part if I'm being completely biased), the honeymoon chapters. I really appreciate you guys giving my story so much love. I can only hope that it'll continue to shine down onto this instalment with showers of Creddie love. **

**Disclaimer: If you have to ask, then there really is no point, is there?  
**

* * *

**7 March, 2026**

_**The Palace Of Fine Arts**_

After the newly-wed couple had made their way down the aisle as nightfall approached, Freddie fully expected him and his bride to make their way outside towards the parking lot. So he was more than a little taken aback when Carly tugged on his hand and led him towards a solitary wall within the Palace bounds. Before he could stop her, Carly had shoved Freddie against the wall and kissed him ferociously, her hands finding their way into his gorgeous brown locks. Freddie reciprocated in kind as his hands wrapped around her neck and back while he kissed her with just as much eagerness. When they finally broke apart, they both had content smiles etched on their faces.

"What was that for?" Freddie asked in-between panting while stroking Carly's cheek gently.

"Just because I can, husband." Carly answered airily, her nose nuzzling his affectionately.

"I can't believe we're finally married." Freddie stated in awe while he continued staring at his bride.

"Me neither. I feel like I'm gonna explode from sheer excitement right now. Is this real?" Carly asked wonderingly.

"This is real, Carly." Freddie murmured softly while resting his forehead against hers.

"Good, 'cause I don't want this day to ever end." Carly admitted sincerely, closing her eyes at Freddie's gentle touches across her skin.

"Me too. I wish we could stay like this, just the two of us forever away from the crowds. But we've got to head out for our reception now if we wanna make our flight later tonight." Freddie advised seriously.

"Urgh, do we have to?" Carly pouted.

"Uh-huh." Freddie replied reluctantly.

"Well come on, husband. We can't keep our adoring fans waiting." Carly stated dramatically while clasping Freddie's hand gently in hers.

"Right behind you, wife." Freddie concluded slowly, allowing Carly to pull him away from the wall as they strolled hand in hand towards the main entrance.

They opened the doors and their loved ones were already standing in two lines a few centimetres apart as they prepared to shower them with rice, confetti and streamers. Both Freddie and Carly covered their heads with their free hands as they made their way through the crowds, laughing uproariously and beaming widely. Their limo with the 'just married' sign was parked a few paces away and they quickly waved at the crowd before Freddie opened the door for them. Carly slipped onto the back seat first and Freddie followed suit as he closed the door behind them. He rolled down the window as they continued waving at the crowd while they drove away en route to Union Square for the wedding reception.

"Finally, some peace and quiet. Who you calling?" Freddie inquired innocently when he noticed that Carly had taken her cellphone out of her purse.

"Emily. I wanted to thank her for our wedding present." Carly replied evenly as she began dialling the international phone number.

"Emily got us a wedding present?" Freddie asked quizzically.

"She sent it with Melanie because she couldn't make it to the wedding. It's a portrait she painted of you, me and Sam when we were kids." Carly explained.

"That's so sweet." Freddie murmured truthfully, pensive for a few minutes while Carly spoke to Emily on the phone.

When she hung up her cellphone 5 minutes later, Carly rested her head against Freddie's shoulders and closed her eyes momentarily.

"Alone at last," she murmured lazily.

"I hope you're not about to fall asleep on me. We've got a good 4 hours of dancing and drinking before we head to the airport." Freddie stated knowingly.

"Hey, cut me some slack. I barely got any sleep last night." Carly mumbled mildly.

"Uh-huh. And who was the one making booty calls at 3am this morning?" Freddie teased, earning him a smack on the shoulder from Carly.

"Shut up, it was so not a booty call. And don't pretend that you didn't enjoy our conversation, especially when I started talking about the 'honeymoon'." Carly retorted in a hushed tone.

Freddie groaned audibly, causing Carly to smile deviously in response, knowing full well just how sexually frustrated her groom was at this point and time.

"Urgh, why did you have to go and mention the 'honeymoon'? Now I won't be able to stop thinking about it all the way through the reception." Freddie complained dramatically.

"That's what you get for making fun of me," Carly teased, feigning reproach.

"So this is what it's gonna be like being married to you," Freddie quipped dryly.

"I'm afraid so. Take it or leave it." Carly challenged deftly.

"Hmm…definitely taking it." Freddie answered smoothly as his lips found Carly's once more in the back of the limo as they travelled along.

* * *

_**The Westin St Francis Hotel**_

Carly and Freddie arrived at the hotel 20 minutes later when it seemed as if most of their wedding guests had already arrived. The driver stopped the engine and a hotel porter opened up the car door for them. After thanking both of them graciously, Freddie and Carly entwined their hands once more and made their way to the elevators, talking and laughing amongst themselves. They found themselves outside the Grand Ballroom a few minutes later, the massive wooden doors standing open for their arrival. They could already see the guests sitting at their tables and the band on the make-shift stage a few meters away. Just then they caught sight of both Kelly and Gibby, who had been keeping a look-out for them. Freddie gave Gibby a thumbs-up and Kelly got Shane's attention, who was the MC for the night.

"Alright, everyone. This is the moment you've all been waiting for. The bride and bridegroom have just arrived! Please welcome…Mr and Mrs Benson!" Shane called out exuberantly and pointed towards the door.

Everyone got to their feet and welcomed Freddie and Carly as they entered the plush ballroom, which was decorated with Waxflowers used for the wedding ceremony on the tables. The entire room was filled with a dim white and blue glow of tiny baubles which decorated the four walls intertwined with green and silver wreaths. The bride and the groom headed for the table where the wedding party was located, who welcomed them enthusiastically.

The evening meal was served 15 minutes later, which consisted of duck l'orange, salmon, lobster, paella and vegetarian stir-fry. Before the caterers could serve dessert, Spencer got to his feet with his champagne glass in hand and tapped it with a fork to get everyone's attention.

"Uh excuse me, everyone. May I have your attention please?" Spencer asked cordially as the murmur of conversation all around him began to die down.

"Thank you. Now, for some of you who don't know me, I'm the bride's older (and much wiser) brother, Spencer. This is a special day for me not just because I was able to celebrate my kid sister's wedding with her, but also because I've gained a brother through it too. I've had the privilege of knowing Freddie for nearly half of his life, when he was still about 3 apples tall. And I can honestly say that there's no better person suited for my sister than him. He's good, kind, hard-working, honest and most importantly, he loves Carly deeply and truly. Carly, you've always been far more mature than your age would suggest. For anyone who knows you, I bet they would all say that you have a way of 'mothering' people: taking care of them and looking after their best interests. I'm happy to know today that someone's going to be taking care of you from here on out. So to both you guys, go and be happy. Love and cherish each other, now that you've found each other again. If everyone would please stand and raise their glasses to the happy couple." Spencer concluded sincerely with a small smile on his face.

"To the happy couple!" the wedding guests exclaimed in unison after they had gotten to their feet.

With their glasses full of champagne, each guest turned to each and clinked their glasses together enthusiastically. Freddie and Carly in turn looped their arms through each other's and sipped on each other's glasses of champagne.

"Thanks, Spencer. And now, the youngest of the Bensons would like to say something to the happy couple too. Carly Marissa, the floor's all yours." Shane introduced cordially.

He handed little Carly the microphone as she came to stand shyly next to him on stage while facing the expectant crowd.

"Hi," she greeted awkwardly as her eyes focused on the crowd before her, including her father and her new step-mom.

"I just want to say congratulations to my dad and to Carly on getting married, finally." Little Carly began dramatically, causing everyone in the audience to laugh uproariously.

"I'd like to think that I had a small part to play in all of this. Well, me and Grandma anyway. I'm not gonna say sorry for all my lies and scheming though because you guys were really stubborn. But I'm glad that you finally saw it my way and realised that you love each other very much and want to spend the rest of your lives together. And it worked out pretty well in my opinion: Daddy got a wife and a best friend; Carly got a husband and a best friend. And I got a new Mommy. I guess that means that everybody wins. So…I just wanna say congratulations and I hope you have a nice honeymoon." Little Carly concluded seriously.

"Oh, and bring me back lots of presents." she added as an afterthought, causing everyone to chuckle loudly at this.

Kelly high-fived Carly on her way up to the stage and continued clapping as she took hold of the microphone.

"Thank you for those…riveting words, Carly. Now, I just have a few words to say to the happy couple too. Freddie and Carly, congratulations on finally getting married. Words can't even express how happy I am for both of you, but I'll try with just a few. I've known you both since college and I've seen you with your fair share of fair weather boyfriends and girlfriends. But I can honestly say that I've seen you both at your happiest when you're together, whether it was bickering over fencing, talking together during 'Movie Nights', sharing fruit kebabs, falling in love, and getting married. And no one is more relieved than me that you've finally come to your senses. Because you're perfect for each other and you deserve to be happy together after all this time. So, to commemorate your first dance as a married couple together, I've decided to sing a very special song which I'm sure you'll both remember singing together once upon a time and nearly getting egged over. Hopefully, I'll do it some justice." Kelly concluded airily while giving the band a significant wink.

"Okay, now I'm scared." Carly murmured in an undertone that only Freddie could hear, causing him to chuckle softly.

Kelly cleared her throat gently as the pianist began playing a slow and melodious tune as the lights in the room dimmed dramatically, two lone spotlight flooding the centre of the dance floor and the stage itself.

_There's a somebody I'm longing to see_

_I hope that he _

_Turns out to be_

_Someone to watch over me_

"Oh my God," Freddie remarked in awe, recognising the song instantly as he glanced over at Carly.

Judging by the tears that had arisen in Carly's eyes, she recognised it too.

"I can't believe it," Carly murmured in awe with a hand over her mouth.

"Shall we?" Freddie asked softly of Carly, extending his hand to hers.

Carly glanced up at Freddie and a smile crept onto her face. She nodded slowly and took his hand as he led her out onto the dance floor. The crowd watched in silent awe as Carly placed one of her hands on Freddie's shoulder and the other in his as they began dancing together. Freddie in turn kept his other hand on Carly's waist as he twirled the both of them around on the spot.

_I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood_

_I know I could_

_Always be good_

_To one who'll watch over me_

"Wow, Kelly sounds amazing." Helen marvelled aloud while watching Carly's Matron on Honour singing with an effortless pitch and range.

"I had no idea she could sing like that," Gibby stated in astonishment, not being able to tear his eyes away from Kelly.

"Too bad she's already married. I bet you wish you'd given her a shot back in college, man." Shane quipped while clapping Gibby sympathetically on the back, much to Gibby's annoyance.

_Won't you tell him please to put on some speed?_

_Follow my lead_

_Oh how I need_

_Someone to watch over me_

Carly leant forward and rested her head on Freddie's shoulders and closed her eyes in contentment. Freddie glanced down at her and smiled to himself, wishing they could stay like this forever. Kelly ended the song a few bars later, with raucous applause from the wedding guests.

"Thank you. Congratulations, Freddie and Carly. I love you, guys." Kelly concluded graciously.

Carly enveloped Kelly in a warm embrace when they crossed paths on the dance floor.

"Thank you so much, Kelly. That was a wonderful wedding present," Carly murmured appreciatively.

"Good, 'cause I didn't get you anything else." Kelly retorted flippantly.

"Just kidding," she added hurriedly as she kissed Freddie on the cheek and made her way back to the table.

Kelly then handed the microphone to Gibby while he sat at his table, still looking slightly dazed from her riveting performance on stage. He took the microphone gratefully from her hands and got to his feet to address the wedding guests, looking more like himself with each passing second.

"Hey, everyone. How 'bout another round of applause for Kelly and her magnificent singing? Before the caterers serve dessert, the happy couple must cut their first slice of wedding cake together. Freddie and Carly, if you'll please move to the corner of the room." Gibby instructed cordially while beaming widely.

Freddie and Carly smiled at one another as they left the dance floor and moved towards the corner of the room where the wedding cake sat on its stand, richly decorated with pearly white ribbons and green and silver wreaths. The cake itself was at least 5 tiers with a creamy chocolate mousse filling and covered in decadent white vanilla frosting, decorated with edible Delphinium flowers. Freddie nervously handed Carly an abnormally large cake knife, which drew a few titters from the crowd. Carly scowled ever so slightly back at Freddie and shook her head as she began carefully cutting a thin slice of wedding cake.

"You can cut more than that, Carly!" Gibby teased loudly, causing everyone to laugh uproariously.

"Don't make me come over there, Gibby. I have a weapon in my hands." Carly retorted evilly while cutting two bigger slices for both her and Freddie.

Freddie gratefully took the slice of cake from Carly and grinned at her devilishly as they both turned to face the cameraman standing before them, filming their every movement. Both Freddie and Carly pretended to clink their slices together as if they were made of glass before looping their arms through each other's and eating each other's slice. But before Freddie could eat the rest of Carly's slice, she pulled her hand back suddenly right before schmooshing it against his nose and mouth. While Freddie stood aghast, the wedding guests were laughing hysterically while Carly stood watching her husband with a coy smile playing on her lips. Freddie got his own back by taking some of the cake off his nose and smearing a thick layer of icing on Carly's lips right before devouring her lips with his, causing her to sigh pleasurably.

"Hey, you two! Would you mind keeping it G-rated? We

got kids up in here!" Helen called out loudly to the married couple, causing the guests to chuckle audibly.

Little Carly and Little Matthew simply looked at each other and shook their hands, wondering why adults were so touchy-feely with each other all the time, especially in public places.

The male singer that Freddie and Carly had hired for the wedding began singing a slow romantic song accompanied by the band as they began playing on their various musical instruments. After sufficiently cleaning off his face, Carly took Freddie's hand and led him out onto the dance floor, this time accompanied by more wedding guests who had partnered up together.

_This year's love had better last_

_Heaven knows it's high time_

_I've been waiting on my own for too long_

_But when you hold me like you do_

_It feels so right_

"Sorry I schmooshed your face with cake." Carly apologised meekly as she and Freddie began swaying to and fro.

"How sorry?" Freddie asked tantalisingly while leaning close to her ear.

"Really, really sorry." Carly purred gently in Freddie's ear.

"You bring out my silly side." She added pleasantly.

"You have a silly side?" Freddie asked, feigning surprise.

"I do when I'm with you." Carly whispered seriously, looking up from Freddie's chest to look him steadily in the eye.

"Good, as long as you're never silly with anyone else but me." Freddie whispered back seriously.

"Never." Carly murmured, matching his tone.

_Before I open up my arms and fall_

_Losing all control_

_Every dream inside my soul_

_When you kiss me on that midnight street_

_Sweep me off my feet_

_Sayin' ain't this life so sweet_

Marissa got up from her own table as she politely strolled through the mass of dancing wedding guests, making her way slowly towards the exit. She stepped out of the noisy ballroom and closed her eyes momentarily, feeling a head ache coming on. As much as she enjoyed watching her son and his new bride's interactions together during their wedding reception, she felt like she needed a few minutes of breathing space away from all the frivolity. It was somewhat of a bitter-sweet feeling that coursed through her body as she thought back on her own wedding day some 30 years ago, and then on a marriage she barely remembered which was finally whisked away in a cloud of smoke when Freddie was still very young. Marissa sat down on a chair outside the ballroom and leant against the cold wall behind her, which soothed her migraine somewhat before closing her eyes.

"Excuse me. Are you alright?" a voice very close to her asked tentatively.

Marissa opened up her eyes rapidly and glanced sharply to her right. A man who looked to be in his late fifties or early sixties with silvery-grey hair and a dark-grey dinner suit stood before her with a politely puzzled expression on his face as he gazed down at her. Marissa was struck by the pleasant smile on the gentleman's face, not to mention momentarily blind-sided by how extremely handsome he was.

"Oh. I-I-I'm fine, thank you. Just suffering from a mild headache." Marissa offered bracingly, trying her best to keep her composure.

"May I?" the man asked courteously, his hand extending towards Marissa.

Before Marissa could stop him, the man had gotten onto his haunches in front of her and laid the back of his hand against her forehead.

"Hmm, your forehead's not warm, which means you don't have a fever. Judging by your eyes, I'd say you just need a good night's sleep and some Advil to take care of that headache." The man surmised succinctly.

As the words escaped his lips, Marissa frowned in confusion when he suddenly gazed at her in horror and got to his feet abruptly, both hands hanging limply at his sides once more.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to invade your personal space and bore you with my professional opinion. You see, I'm a doctor." The man rattled off nervously.

Marissa's eyes widened in amazement and understanding at this revelation. She was inwardly surprised that she hadn't felt uncomfortable by his actions; in fact, the feel of his cold hand had been quite soothing against her aching head.

"You're a doctor?" Marissa asked conversationally, willing the blush to disappear from her cheeks.

"Yes I am, a general practitioner. I actually have my own practice located near Ghirardelli Square." The man explained rapidly, looking slightly more relieved with each passing second.

"That is so strange, I'm a nurse. Well, a retired nurse now. I used to work predominantly in the maternity ward at San Francisco General Hospital." Marissa informed the gentleman with pride evident in her tone.

"Very strange indeed. I've made many a 'house call' if you will when visiting some of my regular patients if they've ever needed surgery at San Francisco General, though not for the maternity ward I'm afraid. Otherwise, I'm certain that I would've remembered you." The man answered sincerely, causing Marissa to blush with his penetrating stare.

"Oh my goodness, where are my manners? I'm Dr. Hamilton. James Hamilton." The man introduced genially.

"Marissa Benson." Marissa returned, taking her hand in his and shaking it briskly.

"Marissa. What a lovely name." James intoned delicately.

"It means 'honeysuckle'." Marissa offered somewhat self-consciously.

"Well it suits you." James returned earnestly.

"Thank you, that's very kind of you to say." Marissa stated politely with a small smile on her face as James came to sit on the chair beside her.

"It sounds like quite a party going on in there," James commented conversationally, gesturing with his head towards the ballroom.

"It is. My son's wedding." Marissa explained calmly.

"Your son's wedding? Congratulations. This must be a very special day for your family." James offered graciously.

"It is. My son is marrying the first girl that he ever had a crush on. It's actually his second marriage; his first wife passed away during childbirth nearly 9 years ago." Marissa explained soberly.

James' eyes crinkled in unexpected sadness and empathy when he heard this.

"My God, that's terrible. That must have been incredibly painful for him, to lose someone he loved. It's nice that he's finally found love again in his life." James answered sympathetically.

"Yes, he's a good man and definitely deserves some happiness in his life. His new bride is a wonderful woman who really loves him a lot. I couldn't have asked for a better daughter-in-law." Marissa went on in a voice filled with pride.

"Well, that's wonderful. I'm actually a widower myself. My wife died a few years ago of ovarian cancer." James admitted slowly.

"I'm so sorry." Marissa chided sympathetically.

"It's alright. It's a terrible thing as a doctor to feel so helpless in a situation like that, especially with a loved one. We would've been married for 30 odd years. At least she wasn't in too much pain near the end." James admitted soberly.

"That is something." Marissa agreed slowly.

"And what about you, Marissa? Are you married?" James asked tentatively.

"I was, but I'm divorced now." Marissa answered frankly.

"I'm sorry. His loss, right?" James asked with a pleasant smile on his face, causing Marissa to chuckle loudly.

"Is there something on my face?" Marissa asked self-consciously when James continued staring at her with that same penetrating gaze.

"No, it's not that. It's just that…I find it hard to believe that you have a son that's a grown man. You certainly don't look it." James marvelled.

"That's very kind of you to say, but you don't have to flatter me." Marissa pointed out awkwardly.

"Oh, but I'm not. I'm sorry if I've offended you or made you uncomfortable. I have a way of being too direct and honest sometimes, even to a fault. I was renowned for it during my days at Harvard." James remarked apologetically.

"You studied medicine at Harvard?" Marissa questioned in awe.

"Many years ago. I had quite the reputation amongst my peers for being a 'know-it-all'. I don't think my professors liked me very much because of it." James explained with a reminiscent chuckle, which Marissa shared.

"Since you have your practice in town, I'm guessing that you also live nearby." Marissa commented after a few seconds of silence.

"I do. But my apartment's currently being re-painted, so I thought I'd treat myself to some 5-star luxury for a few days. Do you stay in the city or did your son just get married here?" James asked pleasantly.

"I stay in the city too, with my son, my granddaughter, and now my daughter-in-law. My son and his wife have been staying here at the hotel for a few days while preparing for the wedding and their honeymoon. I'm just here for the day." Marissa explained casually.

Marissa and James continued chatting together for a few minutes before James eventually got to his feet.

"Well, Marissa. You have been exceedingly lovely company, but I'm afraid that I've taken up enough of your time." James announced cordially.

"Oh, alright. Unless…you'd like to stay for refreshments?" Marissa asked graciously while pointing to the ballroom.

"That's very kind of you to offer, but I don't want to intrude on your family's private celebrations. But if you're free sometime this week, I'd love to take you out to dinner." James offered sincerely with a broad smile on his face.

Marissa began blushing profusely at this suggestion before responding.

"Well, I'll be taking care of my granddaughter while my son and his wife are away on their honeymoon. But I'd love to have dinner with you sometime." Marissa responded earnestly.

"Wonderful. Here's my business card, which has my home number, cellphone phone number and work number on it. Would it be alright if I took down your number too?" James asked mildly after handing Marissa one of his business cards.

Marissa acquiesced and repeated her phone numbers to James while he scribbled them down on the back of one of his business cards.

"Well, Marissa, it was lovely talking to you. I'll call you." James promised slowly.

"It was nice talking to you too. I uh, hope you enjoy the rest of your night." Marissa greeted politely.

"Thank you, I hope you and your family enjoy the rest of this wonderful occasion. Goodnight." James greeted back while shaking her hand gently.

"Goodnight." Marissa concluded in somewhat of a husky tone that was breathy with nervousness and anticipation.

James smiled at Marissa one last time before digging his hands deep into his pants pockets and strolling back towards the lavish elevators. His eyes were still on her when the doors closed on both of them with a satisfying ding.

_This year's love had better last_

_Whoa, whoa, yeah_

_This year's love had better last_

_Oh yeah  
_

Marissa got to her feet, albeit somewhat in an unsteady manner from what had just transpired. Though it had been a happy day all-round, Marissa could honestly say that this was the first time that she was smiling genuinely just for herself all day long. She got a fright when Spencer cornered her off the minute she re-entered the dimly lit ballroom once more.

"Marissa, where have you been? You've missed out on so many good songs on the dance floor!" Spencer exclaimed exuberantly.

"I just stepped outside for some air." Marissa explained patiently.

"Save me a dance later?" Spencer asked smoothly of her.

"Absolutely, Spencer." Marissa promised with a broad smile on her face as she made her way back to her own table in a daze.

At this point, Freddie and Carly were back on the dance floor once, spinning around haphazardly amongst the other wedding guests around them as the band struck up a popular Frank Sinatra ballad.

_Fly me to the moon_

_Let me play among the stars_

_Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars_

"Mind if I cut in?" Little Carly asked slyly of her father and his new bride as their movements slowed down on the dance floor.

Carly, who was in too much of a good mood to be offended in the least, stuck out her tongue playfully at her younger counterpart before Shane came to dance with her. Freddie watched his wife's antics and laughed openly before glancing down at his daughter.

"Wanna dance?" Freddie asked smoothly of his daughter.

"I thought you'd never ask," Carly Marissa answered deftly, causing Freddie to laugh uproariously in turn.

They began dancing their very own special 'father-daughter' dance where little Carly would place her feet on top of Freddie's, then take hold of each other's hands as they began swaying around rhythmically in a slow circle.

_In other words, hold my hand_

_In other words, baby kiss me_

"So I noticed that you haven't danced with any of the young boys in the vicinity once tonight," Freddie stated craftily while fixing his daughter with a beady expression.

"I'm surprised you noticed at all, since you haven't stopped staring at Carly all night long." Carly Marissa retorted mischievously.

"That doesn't mean I don't have eyes in the back of my head. Nothin' gets past your old man." Freddie answered in a tone that was only half serious, making Carly giggle slightly.

"Are you happy right now, Daddy?" Carly asked in an unexpectedly serious tone.

"I'm very happy, Carly. And I have you, your mom and Grandma to thank for that. Are you happy, Carly-Bear?" Freddie asked seriously in turn as they continued spinning around on the spot.

"I am happy, Daddy. But also a little sad too." Carly responded soberly.

"How come?" Freddie questioned in concern.

"I wish you and Carly didn't have to go on your honeymoon. I'm gonna miss you both." Carly Marissa answered with a pout on her face.

"Oh, we'll miss you too, honey. But three weeks will fly by in no time. Plus, you get to do all kind of fun things with Grandma while we're gone." Freddie replied reassuringly.

"I still have to go to school though," Carly Marissa remarked with a grimace, causing Freddie to chuckle.

"Yeah you do," he agreed simply.

"Okay, you and Carly go have fun on your honeymoon. But I wasn't kidding about what I said earlier," Carly Marissa stated mysteriously.

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" Freddie asked expectantly.

"I want presents." Carly Marissa reiterated firmly.

"We'll see what we can do." Freddie answered deftly.

"That's all I ask for. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and confer with Carly." Little Carly concluded dramatically as she got off of Freddie's feet.

"Okay, then." Freddie muttered more to himself as he caught sight of his mother and engaged her in a dance.

"Having a good time, Mom?" Freddie asked evenly as he spun his mother around on the spot.

"Just wonderful. Words can't even begin to express how happy I am for both you and Carly. It's a day that any mother could hope for and more for their children." Marissa answered truthfully.

"I couldn't have come this far without you. Ever since I can remember, you've always been there for everything, Mom. My first little league game, every time I fell down and you had to patch me up; every single graduation, when Sam died. That was the worst time in my life, but you were there for that too, for both me and Carly. I can't even begin to thank you for loving me the way you have and for being my rock throughout everything in my life. I love you, Mom." Freddie declared vehemently, his eyes stinging relentlessly as he fought back tears.

Marissa wasn't as successful in this respect as the tears escaped her eyes.

"Oh, Freddie. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you; you're my everything. I love you so much, and I'm so proud of you. I always have been." Marissa gushed sincerely as she engulfed her only son in a tight hug on the dance floor.

Shane saw little Carly approaching and murmured 'here comes trouble' teasingly in Carly's ear before leaving her side and strolling back towards the wedding party table. Carly smiled broadly at her younger counterpart and gently took her hands in hers as they began dancing together.

"You looking for me?" Carly asked teasingly of Little Carly.

"Uh-huh. I've just been talking to Daddy about making sure that you both bring me back some cool honeymoon presents. I wanted to make sure that he delivers." Carly Marissa informed her in a no-nonsense tone, causing Carly to laugh hysterically.

"Carly Benson, you really are something else, you know that?" Carly asked laughingly while staring down at her younger counterpart.

"I get that a lot." Carly Marissa remarked knowingly.

"Do you and Daddy really have to go on your honeymoon?" she asked in a slightly more morose tone to Carly's surprise.

"Unfortunately we do, sweetheart. It's one of those really stupid things that married couples have to do right after their wedding. But it's just for three weeks, and then we'll be back, with presents." Carly answered reassuringly with an understanding smile on her face.

"I guess so. Promise you'll call?" Little Carly asked in a small voice of her older counterpart.

"Of course. Tell you what: I'll make you a deal. If the honeymoon sucks and your Dad turns out to be really boring on the trip, I'll ditch him, come back home and get you, and then we'll go on our own trip and shopping spree. What do you think?" Carly asked brightly of Little Carly.

"Sounds great. But it kinda sounds like a mean thing to do to Daddy; he can't help it if he's boring sometimes. Tell you what: you go on your honeymoon together and try to have a good time. Then you and I can do something fun together when you get back home." Little Carly promised reasonably.

"Now that sounds like a sweet deal to me. Put it there, partner." Carly implored, sticking out her hand towards little Carly.

Little Carly grinned mischievously before the two of them spat on their hands before shaking hands vigorously. Then Carly enveloped her newly-acquired daughter in her arms and hugged her tightly.

"I love you, Carly-Bear." She murmured truthfully.

"Love you too, Carly." Carly Marissa responded, matching her tone when they broke apart.

"I think you should go rescue Dad from Grandma now before she starts crying again," she added cryptically with a side-long glance at Marissa's mushy demeanour.

"Good idea," Carly quipped right before kissing little Carly on the cheek and sauntering back to Freddie and Marissa.

"Mind if I cut in?" she asked deftly of mother and son.

"He's all yours, honey." Marissa answered warmly, squeezing Carly's hand briefly before leaving the dance floor.

This left Freddie and Carly to pick up where they left off, the song reaching its crescendo as the dancing crowd milled all around them, the two of them smiling broadly at each other all the while.

_Fill my heart with song_

_And let me sing forevermore _

_You are all I long for, all I worship and adore_

Carly began laughing uproariously when the entire room began spinning violently around her as Freddie spun her around on her heels like he'd never let her go.

_In other words, please be true_

_In other words_

_I love you_

After twirling her away from him, Freddie brought Carly expertly back to his chest, her arms going around his neck as the song finally ended. They began clapping and cheering loudly along with the remaining wedding guests as the lead singer of the band took a bow on the stage. Freddie looked down at his watch and saw that it was nearly midnight.

"It's almost time to go," he murmured in an undertone while addressing Carly.

Carly nodded, a bitter-sweet feeling overtaking her at the thought that they'd have to leave their wedding reception soon.

"Be right back," Carly informed Freddie gently before disentangling herself from him and going to find Kelly, whispering quickly in her ear.

Kelly glanced at Carly and nodded quickly as she made her way back onto the stage, grabbing hold of the microphone to address the crowd once more.

"May I have your attention please? The bride and the groom have just informed me that they're due to leave for the airport soon. So we're going to start the bouquet toss and the removal of the bridal garter now. Would all the single ladies please get on the dance floor immediately?" Kelly asked pleasantly amidst the flurry of eager women and young girls making their way towards the centre of the room.

Carly came onto the stage soon after, carrying her bouquet of flowers and turned to address the crowd.

"Hi, everyone. First of all, I would just like to say a big thank you to everyone who was able to make it today for mine and Freddie's special day. It really means a lot to both of us. Our thoughts are also on those who couldn't attend the wedding who I know would've liked to have been here celebrating with us. Obviously, I'm missing my best friend, Sam, the most today, for so many reasons. But I feel glad to know that she would've been happy to know that myself, Freddie and Carly are all happy and ready to embark on our journey together, as a married couple and as a family. So that comforts me a great deal. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their role in making this wonderful day possible. To our wedding planner, Marie: thank you for all your toil and effort in making everything so beautiful and special for us. Reverend Patrick, thank you for officiating the wedding ceremony and for your wonderfully inspirational words. A big thank you to the caterers for all your hard work and for the amazing food, I'm sure everyone will agree with me on that point. And to my Matron of Honour and oldest friend, Kelly: thank you for holding my hand throughout these past few months and for always being there whenever I need you. I love you so much. To the rest of our family and friends, thank you for being here and lending your help to myself and Freddie in more ways than one. Words can't even begin to express our gratitude. We hope you all have a wonderful time celebrating our wedding day, long after we've gone to the airport for our honeymoon. And now, for the bouquet toss. Get ready, ladies." Carly concluded brightly as she turned her back on the crowd.

The crowd of women was quite a sight to behold as some subtly and others overtly did their best to ensure their close proximity to the stage so as to catch the bouquet. Carly closed her eyes and tried her very best to throw the bouquet behind her in as straight a line as possible.

It was all over in a few seconds, the sounds of shrieks, gasps and even cursing vanishing instantly at the sight of a triumphant victor, even if she was surprised to catch the flowers at all. The wedding guests (even some of the sullen females) began clapping uproariously for none other than Marissa, who stood clutching Carly's bouquet of flowers with a sheepish demeanour. Carly was especially clapping the loudest at this, throwing her mother-in-law a suggestive wink in the process, causing the older woman to blush profusely.

A blush soon appeared on Carly's own face when Gibby came onto the stage to announce in a seedy tone that it was time for the removal of her wedding garter. She was made to sit on a chair in front of her wedding guests with Freddie kneeling before her while the male guests in particular like Shane, Gibby and even Reuben, began wolf-whistling and acting as obnoxious as possible. Freddie calmly took Carly's outstretched leg in his hand and gazed at her with a reassuring smile etched on his face. Then he reached underneath her dress and removed her garter from her inner thigh amidst hooting and cheering from the crowd surrounding them. Carly got her own back when Freddie tossed the garter into the crowd and it landed on Gibby's head for good measure.

Once the frivolity had ceased, Freddie and Carly excused themselves to go upstairs to their hotel rooms to change and gather up the last of their luggage before checking out. It took them a good 30 minutes to change into casual attire and for the hotel porter to put their honeymoon luggage into their 'just married' limousine, which was waiting for them in the parking lot once more. Freddie and Carly made their way back up to the ballroom to bid their guests goodnight as they prepared to leave.

"Alright, it's unfortunately time for Carly and I to love and leave you to embark on our very expensive honeymoon. I know Carly's pretty much covered this already, but I too would like to thank everyone for coming to our wedding today and to our reception. This day couldn't have been possible without all of you here to celebrate our special day with us. Gibby, I'm putting you in charge of making sure that all the wedding presents are brought back to our home in one piece and that my daughter and my mother don't open them all up while we're gone. Please stay and dance the night away; enjoy the food and drinks on us for this one and only time. Be safe all of you, we love you very much." Freddie concluded cheerfully.

Carly hugged both Marissa Carly one last time and kissed them on the cheek before enveloping her father and Spencer in a tight embrace. Then she moved to hug Kelly, Gibby, Shane, Helen and Melanie, whom she hugged for a few extra seconds before finally letting go. Freddie in turn hugged his mother and daughter, Spencer and his new father-in-law, kissed Kelly, Helen and Melanie on the cheeks whilst hugging them. Then he did his usual fist-pound with both Gibby and Shane before enveloping them both in tight hugs before disentangling himself. The rest of the guests began throwing more rice, confetti and streamers at the newly-wed couple as they waved at all of them once last time before exiting the ball room and walking hand in hand towards the elevators.

Gibby watched the happy couple's exit with a sober expression on his face before rearranging his face back into an elated smile once more.

"Now that Carly and Freddie are gone, I can finally party it up 'Gibby Style'." He stated seedily.

"And how does one party it up, 'Gibby Style'?" Helen inquired innocently.

"With my shirt off, that's how!" Gibby announced exuberantly before ripping his shirt off his body and running onto the dance floor.

"I think I kinda like his way of partying," Helen noted slyly while giving Gibby's rippling six-pack a definite once-over.

"Trust me, it wasn't that pretty watching him do that as a chubby kid." Spencer quipped sardonically, causing the rest of the wedding party to laugh hysterically at this.

"Can I cut up a rug too, Dad?" Matthew asked wonderingly of Reuben.

"Sure thing, Squeaker. But keep your goat cheese where I can see 'em." Reuben advised sensibly.

"Yes, Dad." Matthew agreed readily before approaching little Carly.

"Carly, now that your Dad's finally gone, would you like to dance?" he asked shyly of her.

"I thought you'd never ask." Little Carly answered demurely, taking his hand as they began dancing.

By this time, Freddie and Carly were already inside the limo as it pulled away silently from the hotel parking lot. Soon, they were heading out of Union Square and far away from the bright lights and the people.

"We're finally on our way now," Carly murmured softly in Freddie's ear and kissed him gently on the cheek.

"We sure are. And I can't think of anyone else I'd rather be with right now than you." Freddie responded genuinely while looking Carly dead in the eyes.

"Me too." Carly replied, matching his tone as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Freddie kissed her forehead one last time and draped his arm around her shoulder as they sat quietly together in the back of the limo taking them on the first leg of their journey.

* * *

**Musical References:**

**1) **"**Some To Watch Over Me" by Ella Fitzgerald **

**2) **"**This Year's Love" by David Gray**

**3) **"**Fly Me To The Moon" by Frank Sinatra**

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* * *

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**Author's Note: A lot more speeches and a hell of a lot of dancing. I don't know how, but I somehow always include a dancing scene or two in my FF stories. So far, the story count for sensual dances is 'A Suite Wedding', 'Agent L' (which is about spies btw, so I really don't know how that happened), 'iLost And Found' and now well, 'iFind And Keep You'. None for 'Manhunt', but that would just be plain weird for a murder/mystery story ; ) What did you all think of James Hamilton? I was initially going to introduce him in chapter 21 of iLaF, but decided to do it here instead. Love is indeed in the air tonight. Now that the wedding's officially over, it is time finally embark on the long-anticipated honeymoon chapters. Thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed so far, you're all on my Santa list (hypothetically speaking of course). Snapplelinz out. **


	4. iFly Off Into The Sunset

**Author's Note: Hello, Creddie fans. First off, I'd like to say how stoked I am by the sudden influx of Creddie stories flooding and overwhelming FF right now, it's a beautiful thing I tell you : ) It gives me even more inspiration to write even more Creddie stories in the near future. Lately, I feel like I've just been living, breathing and sleeping Creddie (and a little Mathan too). I blame this story 100%. And now for the first leg of the honeymoon trip; I hope you'll like the offerings.**

**Disclaimer: Alright, I confess. My name is Dan Schneider: I'm a middle-aged hyperactive man who creates kid's show like iCarly for a living. **

**Gotcha.  
**

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**8 March, 2026**

_**San Francisco International Airport**_

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Freddie asked curiously of his wife.

"Well, there's no turning back now," Carly answered simply with a smile on her face as she gazed back at her husband.

The two of them were back in comfortable casual attire after their wedding reception and were now standing at the check-in counter at San Francisco International Airport. Freddie had already revealed to Carly that they were spending their honeymoon on the Island of Pangkor located in Malaysia. They would be gone for three weeks while Marissa looked after little Carly.

"It's gonna be a pretty long flight," Freddie noted while glancing briefly at his watch.

"I brought a few games along that I can play. But in case I get bored, I can always play with you," Carly teased slyly while bumping shoulders with Freddie.

"I don't know, we're looking at about a 20 hour flight here." Freddie remarked knowingly.

"Are you honestly trying to talk me out of going on our honeymoon now?" Carly asked disbelievingly as they got closer to the front of the line.

"Of course not. I'm just saying that you should be prepared." Freddie responded lightly.

"Well as long as I'm with you, I can face anything." Carly stated sweetly before standing on her tiptoes to kiss Freddie gently on the lips.

They were still walking together and kissing by the time they got to the front of the counter. The woman behind the counter glanced at the two of them and grinned at their overt display of affection.

"Let me guess: newlyweds?" she ventured shrewdly.

"Uh-huh," Freddie and Carly murmured in unison before chuckling and kissing once more.

"May I please see your boarding passes?" the woman asked politely.

Freddie dug into his suitcase and retrieved his and Carly's boarding passes and handed them to the woman behind the counter.

"Okay, Mr. and Mrs. Benson, you can make your way to the lounge now while you wait. Enjoy your flight." The woman behind the counter greeted courteously.

"Thank you," Freddie and Carly responded graciously and began walking towards the airport lounge, hand in hand.

After showing their boarding passes to the man behind the counter, Freddie and Carly got comfortable on a sofa in front of a big screen TV while they waited to board for their flight.

"Haven't we seen this episode already?" Carly questioned wonderingly while Freddie dished them some complementary finger foods.

"What are we watching?" Freddie asked curiously as he placed their plates down on the coffee table in front of them along with some drinks.

"Survivor. But I'm sure we've seen this episode before." Carly stated emphatically.

"We have. It aired last week."

"Nuh-uh. This is like from three seasons ago."

"How can you say that? We were watching it last Friday in the hotel sports lounge together." Freddie informed Carly.

"No ways, I've seen this guy with the weird beard before three seasons ago." Carly protested firmly.

"Carly, in case you haven't noticed, all of the guys have weird beards this season. It's kind've the point of the entire series." Freddie joked lightly.

"And what's that? No sense of hygiene whatsoever?" Carly joked back.

"Yeah, something like that. Here, try this." Freddie offered gently while feeding Carly a tiny crab cake.

"Hmm, this is so good." Carly murmured contentedly in-between mouthfuls.

She smiled up at Freddie and stopped short when she noticed that he had a pensive expression on his face.

"Hey, are you okay?" Carly asked concernedly.

Freddie snapped out of his reverie and smiled wryly at Carly.

"What's wrong?" Carly persisted slowly.

"I ran into Jake the other day." Freddie informed Carly cautiously.

Carly paused for quite a while before answering.

"When?" she asked wonderingly.

"Two weeks ago when I had that conference in New York. I bumped into him inside JFK. He was en route to LA. Figures, right?" Freddie asked while chuckling wryly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Carly asked seriously.

"I don't know. I guess I've still been digesting it this whole time." Freddie admitted meekly.

"How is he?" Carly questioned probingly.

"He's okay I guess. He asked about you."

"Did you tell him we were getting married?"

"Yeah, I did."

"How did he take it?" Carly asked nervously.

"He seemed surprised at first, but then he shrugged it off like he expected it. I apologised to him." Freddie responded frankly.

"For what?"

"For getting between the two of you in the first place, that it was never my intention. I told him that I thought he was really brave to let you go the way he did and that I couldn't have done it myself. He said that he appreciated me saying that in spite of everything." Freddie explained soberly.

"Is he…still single?" Carly ventured awkwardly.

"I don't know, I didn't ask. The conversation didn't last that long before we both went our separate ways." Freddie divulged slowly.

"Do you regret not marrying him?" he asked after a moment of silence.

Carly, who had been staring off into space with her hands pursed under her chin, glanced sharply back at Freddie. She took her hands out from underneath her chin and cupped Freddie's cheeks instead.

"Freddie, the only thing that I regret about any of that was breaking Jake's heart. He's a good guy and he didn't deserve that, especially from someone he loved. I just wished I could've spared all of us the heartache. But hear me when I say this. I love you, Freddie and I don't regret choosing you, not for a second. I will never regret it." Carly declared vehemently while looking Freddie directly in the eyes.

"I love you so much, Carly." Freddie stated in a relieved tone.

"Good. That's what I've always wanted to hear. Now, don't be stingy with those crab cakes." Carly teased while grazing her nose lightly against Freddie's.

Freddie smiled and handed Carly another crab cake. She bit into it with relish right before popping the remaining half into Freddie's mouth. Freddie chewed on his half slowly and deliberately and then swallowed. Grinning mischievously, Freddie took Carly's middle and index finger into his mouth and began licking the pastry crumbs from the crab cake off of them with sensual deliberation. Carly shuddered with pleasure at the feel of Freddie's tongue lavishly licking at her fingertips one by one. Carly in turn took her two fingers that Freddie had already licked and placed them in her own mouth, being sure to swirl her tongue around the tips while Freddie watched with unrepressed delight. Carly took her fingers out of her mouth and watched Freddie intently.

"Look at that, it's like we're kissing." She teased with a sly grin on her face, referring to the exchange of saliva between them.

"Or we could just kiss." Freddie mumbled hotly right before attacking Carly's lips with his own.

He brought her close to his own body till she was practically in his lap while their lips moved together.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Carly murmured demurely when they broke apart.

Then she launched herself right back into Freddie's arms, gripping the collar of his dress shirt tightly while she kissed him fiercely. Freddie gently pushed Carly back down onto the sofa and laid his body over hers, holding her hands at her sides in a vice-like grip with his own. Carly moaned in ecstasy when Freddie began licking and sucking her collarbone like a starving man at a buffet table, his panting like music to her ears. It wasn't long before Carly finally remembered where they were.

"Freddie, we have to stop." She protested as firmly as she could, given her current state of arousal.

"You're no fun," Freddie complained lightly while kissing a spot behind Carly's ear that was especially sensitive for her, causing her to shiver pleasurably.

"We're in a public place," Carly attempted once more.

"Public place. Private lounge." Freddie reasoned smoothly while kissing Carly's lips gently.

"If you don't stop now, I'm going to rip your clothes off in the next few minutes." Carly warned, her eyes dark with lust.

"Would that be so terrible?" Freddie asked pleasantly.

"Yes it would be, since we both agreed that we should wait till we get to Pangkor before we have sex." Carly reminded seriously.

Freddie sighed and got off of Carly with a dramatic groan.

"Well in that case, you have to stop doing ridiculously sexy things in front of me like licking your fingers." Freddie scolded, feigning reproach.

"Sorry." Carly apologised sheepishly.

"I don't know how I'm going to make it through this flight." Freddie complained wearily while willing his bulging erection to dissipate before they got onto the plane.

"Well if we ever celebrate a second honeymoon, you should make reservations in Hawaii instead. Much closer to home than Malaysia." Carly teased mercilessly before pecking Freddie's cheek playfully, causing him to roll his eyes.

* * *

An hour later, Carly and Freddie had gotten on board the plane and climbed the stairs to their first class seats. Despite being placed in the most expensive seats on the plane, the flight was fairly booked up since most of the passengers would either be continuing on connecting flights towards Singapore or Sydney from Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Freddie mentally congratulated himself on being able to stop himself from jumping Carly in the plane while the air hostess served them their Prawn salad and champagne. But he glanced worriedly over at Carly, who was practically glowering from her seat. He felt relatively guilty, thinking that perhaps she was upset with him for nearly making her break her resolve not to have sex for the first time before they arrived at their honeymoon destination. But Freddie reasoned that Carly must certainly know that he was teasing her about not wanting to wait. Freddie wanted to be with Carly more than anything, but he also knew how important their first time together as a married couple was to her.

Which is why he was completely confused when Carly abruptly unfastened her seatbelt and got to her feet.

"I can't wait anymore. Meet me in the bathroom in 2 minutes." Carly whispered painstakingly in Freddie's ear before heading towards the bathroom.

It took Freddie several more seconds to process just what Carly had propositioned before he hastily began unbuckling his seat belt and hopped out of his seat. He glanced shiftily from left to right while making his way along the small passageway en route to the bathroom. Then when the coast was clear, he opened the door and stepped inside.

Just as he locked the door and resolved to talk things out first, Carly practically leapt into his arms and wrapped her nimble legs around his waist and began kissing him ferociously. Freddie lost his balance and felt his back slam against the adjacent cubicle wall as Carly's hands found their way into his hair, her mouth clamped tightly on his. It was moments like these when Freddie forgot to think at all as his lower body took over completely. He gained some control over the situation and pushed Carly against the bathroom sink next to them and covered his body with hers, kissing her furiously and assuredly.

_Do you really wanna touch it?_

_Do you really wanna mess with me tonight?_

_And if you know how I like it_

_Won't you call my name and give it to me right?_

Carly pulled her mouth away from Freddie's momentarily to moan softly as Freddie's hands cupped her breasts roughly and stroked the taut nipples through her blouse. She ground her hardened mounds into his perfectly sized hands as all coherent thought began to disappear from her brain. Freddie slid one of his hands down towards the area where Carly ached to be touched most; he teased her mercilessly by making his hand graze her inner thigh just inches away in a tantalising manner before pulling back each time, much to Carly's disappointment.

_Could you just put that thing on me?_

_So I can just freak on you_

_And you could just freak on me_

_And I'm gon' give it to you all night long_

_I'mma show your body what your lips are doing wrong_

_Ooh_

Carly eventually got her own back by slapping Freddie's hand away and shoving him backwards so that his rear hit the lid of the toilet seat with a loud thump. Before Freddie could even groan from the bruise that he knew was already forming, Carly had straddled his lap and covered her lips with his once more, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. Freddie's hand crept around her back before moving downwards towards her posterior as he began squeezing her cheeks roughly through her jeans.

_Your love just feels so good to me_

_Could you just move it on up?_

_Cuz I want ecstasy_

_And I'm a give it to ya all night long_

_I'mma show your body what your tongue is doing wrong_

_Ooh_

Carly moaned at the sensation of Freddie's hands on her body. Her hand found its way between Freddie's legs and she began groping his bulging erection through his jeans. Freddie hissed at the feel of Carly's dainty hand jerking him off rapidly so much to the point that his hips were bucking frantically in sync with her movements. Carly used her other hand to unbutton Freddie's dress shirt as she began kissing his muscular chest lightly and biting his nipples.

"Oh God, Carly." Freddie moaned in satisfaction at the dual sensation of Carly's hand and mouth working towards getting him off simultaneously.

But somewhere in the midst of his lust-filled brain, Freddie remembered where they were and tried to gain some semblance of sanity back.

"Carly," he hissed painstakingly.

"Carly, wait."

Carly moaned in response as she continued kissing his chest.

"Carly, honey. We have to stop." Freddie grunted with his eyes half closed.

Something finally registered in Carly and she stopped her movements. She glanced at Freddie in bewilderment, then in horror at their surroundings. Freddie frowned when Carly buried her face deeper into his chest so that he couldn't see her expression at all.

"Carly?" he asked quizzically.

"Oh my God," Carly murmured in mortification.

"Carly, it's okay." Freddie chided soothingly, bringing her face away from his chest to look at him once more.

"No it's not okay, Freddie. We almost had sex for the first time in an airplane bathroom." Carly lamented dramatically.

"People often do it in the strangest places." Freddie offered lightly.

"I don't know what came over me." Carly admitted pensively while running a hand through her hair.

"I guess all that 'crab cake action' got to you." Freddie remarked with a leering grin on his face.

"Yes it did, thanks to you."

"Me? What did I do?"

"You were the one who licked my fingers first."

"Oh yeah, now I remember." Freddie replied sheepishly.

"But that still doesn't explain how we ended up in a bathroom together. I thought you were happy with waiting till we got to Pangkor." He added more seriously.

"I was, until we got on the plane. And then I started thinking about it the more we sat in our seats. Maybe we shouldn't have waited as long as we have. I guess I just wanted to get it out of the way. I mean, what if when we're finally on our honeymoon, it doesn't meet either of our expectations? What if sex with me is just…a let-down?" Carly asked despondently while bowing her head.

Freddie took hold of Carly's face and cupped it gently while looking her dead in the eye.

"Believe me when I say this. The only way that the sex wouldn't meet my expectations is if you weren't there at all, Carly. Nothing with you could ever be a let-down. You're perfect just the way you are." He reasoned sincerely.

"No I'm not, Freddie. What if there's absolutely no chemistry between us when we finally do have sex? What if there's no heat at all?" Carly protested vehemently.

Freddie gazed at their surroundings and thought the complete opposite of what Carly was saying to him. And then there was also the times they'd spent apart in the last few months before Carly had finally moved down to San Francisco. How many times had most of their long-distance conversations almost resulted in illicit 'phone sex'?

"Carly, that's crazy. There's tons of chemistry between us. We've almost had sex in an airport lounge and now an airplane bathroom. Face it, babe. Someone would have to physically keep us apart with a brick wall." Freddie replied earnestly.

"Yes, but that's before the fact. What if it's just…different when it finally happens?" Carly asked anxiously.

"Carly, I know it's hard giving your heart to someone, especially when that involves sex too. But I love you, and I trust you. I trust in us, that we're meant to be together. Whatever happens on our honeymoon is up to us. We'll take it at any pace you want. I just wanna be with you, that's all I've ever wanted." Freddie declared sincerely while stroking Carly's cheek.

Carly leant in and kissed Freddie tentatively, and then wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you so much," she murmured warmly in his ear.

"I love you too, Mrs. Benson." Freddie whispered back with a broad smile on his face when they broke apart,

"We'd better get out of here before one of the air hostesses finds us. Oh no!" Carly hissed on the last part.

"What's wrong?" Freddie asked curiously while buttoning up his shirt.

"Look at our clothes." Carly implored desperately.

Freddie glanced down between and groaned audibly. They both had audible wet patches on their jeans near their crotch regions.

"Well if this doesn't give away what we were doing in here for 10 minutes, then I don't know what will." Freddie quipped dryly.

"Maybe if I walk with my legs pushed tightly together, no one will notice." Carly suggested rapidly.

"That's great for you, but what about me?" Freddie demanded hysterically while pointing down at his own pants.

"Sprinkle some water on it. If anyone asks, tell them you had an 'accident'." Carly explained with air-quotes.

"Right, 'cause that sounds so much better." Freddie retorted sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, Freddie." Carly apologised meekly.

"It's okay. I guess that means you owe me big time when we get to Pangkor." Freddie teased seedily.

"I guess so. You coming out?" Carly asked while gesturing towards the door.

"You go ahead, I'll be out in a few minutes. I need to uh, take care of some things." Freddie murmured conspiratorially while glancing pointedly at his erection.

Carly nodded in understanding. She smiled at Freddie and blew him a kiss before surreptitiously exiting the bathroom cubicle. Freddie watched as she shut the door behind her and sighed, missing her already. He glanced down at the wet splotch on his pants and shook his head.

"All in good time, boys. All in good time." He murmured patiently to himself.

* * *

**Musical References:**

**1) "Touch It" by Monifah**

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**Author's Note: "Oops, I did it again. I played with your heart, and promised you a lemon. Ooh baby baby..." Alright, you can say it. I'm a big fat tease (gasp). But if you did say it or thought it, you'd be entirely right. But as they say, all things in life are a progression, even smut and lemons. So I won't tease you for too much longer (promise). Thank you so to much to everyone who's reviewed so far, you're all wonderful (God, I sound like a beauty pageant contestant right now, the horror). The final instalment for the moment is upon us in the next chapter. But not to worry, I can make a dog bark faster than a fish can climb a tree. In Reuben's terms, that means I'm making good progress on the remaining chapters for this story, so you won't be left in suspense for too long. And the best part? No evil cliffhangers necessary this time around. Now if that doesn't make you want to do a round of random dancing, then I don't know what will. Snapplelinz out!  
**


	5. iGo On My Honeymoon

**Author's Note: Aloha, all! I made you wait for four chapters, but it's officially time for the honeymoon chapter. This chapter pays special homage to one of my favourite places on the planet and my home away from home. So please allow me my share of sentimentality and nostalgia for the time being. Malaysia Boleh!  
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**Disclaimer: I do not own iCarly or Creddie in the least. But I sure would like to.  
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**9 March, 2026**

_**Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur International Airport**_

After an 18-hour flight consisting of eating, watching TV and sleeping on one another's shoulders, Carly and Freddie finally disembarked from their flight when it landed at KLIA. Both of them stared in awe at their surroundings; it didn't even resemble their usual expectations of what an airport should look like. It looked more like a technologically advanced space station with its metallic arches that cut across the ceilings, long electronic conveyor belts which one could walk on with their trolleys and its pristine marble finish.

"Houston, we have a problem." Freddie teased in a comical tone, causing Carly to chuckle in turn.

"I know. This place is unreal." She agreed readily, her mouth slightly agape.

"Now…where do we find 'Baggage Claim' around this joint?" Freddie inquired more to himself while tapping his chin thoughtfully.

"Ooh, over there." Carly replied, gesturing towards a rotating conveyor belt a few meters away.

Freddie and Carly decided to hop onto one of the walking conveyor belts as they approached their destination. It took a good 15 minutes to locate Freddie's two bags and Carly's four bags.

"You do realise we're only on our honeymoon for 3 weeks, right?" Freddie answered weakly as he placed Carly's bags onto their trolley.

"Of course I do, honey. I packed in my best dresses so that I could look pretty for you." Carly remarked sweetly before pecking Freddie affectionately on the cheek.

"How thoughtful of you," Freddie quipped sardonically as he began wheeling their luggage towards the main entrance of the 'Arrivals' building.

After being checked by security for any contraband and duty-free purchases, Freddie and Carly were met by their driver, who would be taking them on their hour-long drive down to the docks, so that they could board a ferry en route to Pangkor Island. Both Freddie and Carly had to stop themselves from laughing out loud at the fact that their driver, a Malay man in his forties, had spelled their names, 'Freddee and Carlee Bensons' on the placard he held in his hands.

"You are Freddee Bensons?" their driver asked of them as they approached.

"Yes, this is my wife, Carly." Freddie greeted politely while shaking the man's hand.

"Hello, I am Anwar. Selamat datang ke Kuala Lumpur." The driver gestured in welcome.

"Terima Kasih." Carly responded graciously while cupping her hands together towards him.

"You speak Bahasa?" Anwar asked curiously of Carly.

"Um, not really. I read that in a phrase book." Carly admitted sheepishly.

"Oh well, it very good, lah." Anwar answered with a pleasant smile on his face.

"Come, I take your bags." He implored firmly while taking hold of their trolley.

Carly and Freddie could barely contain their surprise when they exited the bustling airport and were instantly hit with what felt like a brick wall of hot air.

"Wow!" Freddie and Carly chorused in unison as they both tried desperately to cover their faces.

It was a good thing that they had decided to change clothes an hour before the plane was scheduled to land in Kuala Lumpur, due to their exploits in the airplane bathroom. Carly was currently sporting a canary yellow summer dress and sandals while Freddie was wearing a short-sleeved shirt with a floral print, khaki-coloured shorts and flip-flops. After Anwar had placed their luggage in the trunk, Carly and Freddie scrambled frantically into the back seat of the car, out of the sweltering air. They were both relieved to find that the car was fitted with an impressive air conditioning system, which cooled them down instantly.

"Is it always so hot like this?" Carly inquired conversationally of Anwar as he began to drive away from the airport.

"Every day and night, no change." Anwar answered frankly as he tuned the radio onto a local station.

"You mean, you don't have seasons in Malaysia?" Freddie asked in amazement.

"Ya lah, no seasons. For six months, it's dry season (which is now), where there's no rain. Then there's wet season for six months, where there's plenty of rain. But it's hot like this all the time. All buildings and schools either have air con or fan to keep cool." Anwar explained casually.

"Wow, it kinda makes me miss home already. What will the weather be like when we get to Pangkor Island?" Carly asked conversationally of Anwar.

"Depend, lah. Won't be as hot because it's near the sea." Anwar offered matter-of-factly.

"So, you from America, lah?" he asked curiously of the newly-weds.

"Yes we are, from San Francisco." Freddie responded pleasantly while giving Carly's shoulder a squeeze.

"Very nice. Uh...go Lakers!" Anwar exclaimed cheerfully while grinning back at the two of them.

Both Freddie and Carly laughed openly at this.

"You watch basketball?" Carly questioned wonderingly.

"No, lah. Football is my sport, Manchester United is my team." Anwar stated proudly.

"David Beckham plays in LA now," Freddie added casually.

"Ya lah, he very good." Anwar agreed readily.

"So, why you go to Pangkor?" he asked quizzically of Freddie and Carly.

"We're on our honeymoon. We just got married yesterday." Freddie responded happily while giving Carly a kiss on the lips.

"Hey, congratulations. Malaysia very nice country; everything cheap here." Anwar answered stoically.

"And what about you, Abdul? Are you married?" Carly asked politely.

"Yes, I am married. Nearly 20 years." Anwar replied seriously.

"Wow, that's amazing." Freddie offered sincerely while glancing momentarily at Carly.

"My wife, she very good to me lah. Wash my clothes, cook my food, give me children. But we never leave KL, not even for holiday because I got to drive around like this." Anwar lamented morosely.

"That's terrible." Freddie offered sympathetically.

"Maybe you should buy your wife some flowers and give it to her when you get home later today." Carly suggested kindly.

"Hey, maybe I do that lah. Or take her to food court to makan." Anwar stated thoughtfully.

"Good idea. Food's a much better choice." Freddie joked, causing Carly to punch him in the arm.

"You are so cheap," she quipped dryly.

"Based on how much this trip is gonna set me back, I think not." Freddie responded cleverly.

Anwar began laughing openly at their exchange.

"This is very nice. Nice young man and nice young woman. You have a very good wife, Mr. Bensons. Take good care of her." Anwar advised kindly.

"Believe me, I will. Thanks, Anwar." Freddie responded sincerely while giving the older man a genuine smile.

Carly smiled in turn, leaning against Freddie while resting her head against his shoulder. Freddie wrapped his hands around Carly and held her tightly while passing the myriad of palm trees on both sides of the highway during the car ride.

* * *

After finally saying goodbye to Anwar at the docks an hour later, who wished them future happiness by the hand of Allah, Freddie and Carly boarded the ferry that would take them to Pangkor Island. The ferry in question was a small boat with a rickety covering overhead which would protect them from rain or any of the other elements. There were a few other passengers on board as well: two families with small children and another newly-wed couple from New York whom Freddie and Carly had met on the same connecting flight. Again, Freddie and Carly had to suppress their laughter at their spirited ferry boat driver, who gave them a guided tour of the area in broken English as they sailed through the sapphire waters.

Many of the passengers began pointing eagerly dead ahead as the Island of Pangkor came into view. It was around 2pm when they finally arrived at the tiny pier overlooking the vast ocean. Freddie got out of the boat first and took hold of Carly's hand as she disembarked as well. Then after gathering their luggage with the aid of a hotel porter, they made their way towards the Pangkor Island Beach Resort where they would be staying for the next three weeks. Freddie and Carly entered the plush lobby and strolled towards the check-in counter where the receptionist checked their reservation. Then after handing them their keys, the receptionist beckoned to a hotel porter in Bahasa to take their luggage.

"Hey, aren't we going the wrong way? The porter went that way." Carly observed as Freddie began walking in the opposite direction with her in tow.

"We're taking a short cut." Freddie answered deftly, not wanting to spoil the surprise.

Carly smiled at Freddie and took his head as the two of them strolled out of the hotel's main exit. After a few paces, Carly was surprised when they encountered white sand beneath their feet.

"I didn't realise that the beach was so close to the hotel when we first landed." Carly noted in bewilderment.

"It's a private beach owned by the hotel. Not open to the public and only accessible to hotel guests." Freddie responded with satisfaction.

"Wow," Carly murmured eagerly.

"So where exactly are you taking me, Mr. Benson? This looks like miles away from the hotel." Carly pointed out teasingly while glancing at Freddie out of the corner of her eye.

"It is. Since it's our honeymoon, I thought we'd like a little privacy…" Freddie trailed off demurely as they reached their destination.

Carly gaped in awe as she and Freddie came to stand in front of a small and luxurious villa located right on the beach front. Freddie grinned at her expression and led her up to what looked like a wooden porch with a patio entrance. He used the key given to him by the hotel receptionist and opened the door. By this time, the hotel porter had already arrived with their luggage, having walked along the hotel's illustrious garden pathway and entered through the front door. Then before Carly could stop him, Freddie scooped her up into his arms effortlessly and walked them both over the threshold of their love haven.

Carly noted with glee that the patio door opened into a lavish living room area with a wide screen TV and quaint furniture. An open kitchen was located just a few paces ahead. The main bedroom itself was just near the front door off to the left with its own en suite bathroom. After Freddie had put her down, Carly squealed excitedly and skipped ahead into the bedroom to take a closer look. Freddie stood with his arms folded across his chest in the living room, watching Carly's antics with a satisfied smirk on his face. While Carly went to inspect the en suite bathroom, Freddie handed the hotel porter a handsome tip. The hotel porter in turn thanked Freddie and tipped his hat forward as he bid them farewell.

After calling out to the porter to thank him, Carly exited the bedroom a second later and wrapped her arms around Freddie's waist and kissed him deeply.

"This place is amazing. Can we stay here forever?" she whispered softly.

"Sure. I'll ask my Mom to ship Carly over." Freddie joked lightly.

"I can't believe you did all this. It finally feels like we're on our honeymoon." Carly admitted sincerely.

"It does, doesn't it? Which leaves just one last thing to do," Freddie answered deftly before taking Carly's hand and leading her into the bedroom.

Carly grinned at the look in Freddie's eye as they came to stand in front of the king-sized bed. Freddie bent down and placed his hands around Carly's waist while she stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Here we are," Freddie murmured gently while gazing into Carly's brown eyes.

"Alone at last." Carly returned, matching his tone.

"Wanna take a nap to eliminate the worst of the jet lag?" Freddie suggested abruptly.

"You read my mind." Carly responded rapidly as she practically dove onto the bed.

Freddie followed suit as they both got under the covers. Carly rested her back against Freddie's chest while he wrapped his arms around her stomach.

Within minutes, they were fast asleep.

* * *

Carly woke up nearly three hours later to the subtle sound of waves crashing over one another and cascading into salty spray. She squinted through her tired eyelids and glanced around the bedroom. That's when she realised that Freddie was no longer beside her.

"Freddie?" she called out uncertainly, missing the feel of his hands caressing her body.

"In the living room," Freddie called out from a few feet away.

Carly heaved a sigh of relief and got out from underneath the covers. She exited the bedroom and found Freddie adjusting the curtains on the patio door. He had changed into his favourite red polo shirt, which accentuated his hazel eyes in the dimming light.

"Hey, did you have a good nap?" Freddie greeted brightly while kissing Carly's forehead.

"I was, until I realised you weren't lying next to me anymore." Carly answered while pouting.

"I'm sorry, honey. How can I make it up to you?" Freddie asked sweetly while cupping Carly's cheeks gently.

"You could feed me," Carly purred softly while gazing into his hazel orbs.

"Hmm, that's an idea. You hungry?"

"Famished."

"Good thing I thought ahead." Freddie remarked mysteriously while gesturing to an object on the coffee table with his eyes.

Carly's eyes lit up at the sight of the picnic basket.

"I thought we could have an early dinner on the beach." Freddie offered knowingly.

"Ooh, what's in it?" Carly asked eagerly.

"Not sure. The hotel chef put it together for me. It just arrived." Freddie responded casually.

"Wait, I can't eat now." Carly stated abruptly.

"Why not?" Freddie asked curiously.

"I have to shower first." Carly pointed out with a sigh.

"I guess some things never change. Carly Shay can't shower before doing anything." Freddie teased, causing Carly to punch him in the arm.

"That's not true, I just thought of it now. Oh my God, I haven't showered since yesterday!" Carly exclaimed in a scandalised tone.

"Egad! You'd better get in there, Jacque Cousteau. I'll wait for you outside." Freddie offered graciously.

"Give me 5 minutes." Carly promised with a smile on her face before skipping towards the bathroom.

Freddie watched her go with a small grin on his face before taking the picnic basket outside.

As promised, Carly got out of the shower 5 minutes later, feeling warm and refreshed. She would've liked to have stayed in longer, but the promise of food and Freddie waiting outside for her was just too tempting an opportunity to pass up on. She retrieved a pair of white hot pants from a suitcase, a white tank top and her favourite grey pashmina and dressed hurriedly. Deciding to leave her wet hair as is, Carly draped her pashmina lightly across her shoulders and stepped out of hers and Freddie's bedroom, walking through the living room and out of the open patio doors.

It felt strange to walk outside at approaching sunset and not feel as much of a cold breeze as one would if you were still in the northern hemisphere living near the seaside. Unlike Kuala Lumpur, Pangkor seemed moderately cooler. But there was still a slight muggy feeling in the air, reminding you that you were closer to the equator than ever. She found Freddie sitting with their picnic basket on a wide beach blanket, a smaller quilt folded neatly beside him, staring out at the sea. Carly came behind Freddie and put her arms around his neck, kissing him softly on the cheek.

"That was fast," Freddie remarked genially while draping his arm around Carly's shoulder as she sat down next to him.

"Oh, you know me: always on the go." Carly offered airily while resting her head on Freddie's shoulder.

"It's so beautiful here, like paradise." She murmured dreamily while staring out at the waves breaking over one another.

Just then, Carly yelped out loud and got to her feet.

"What's wrong?" Freddie asked in alarm.

"What are those things crawling in and out of the sand?" Carly asked with sudden revulsion.

Freddie looked towards the white sand where Carly pointed to and began laughing hysterically.

"Freddie, what's so funny?" Carly asked defensively.

"Carly, those are crabs!" Freddie exclaimed laughingly.

"Really?" Carly asked curiously and sat on her haunches on the picnic blanket while taking a closer look.

Sure enough, they were crabs burrowing in and out of the white sand as effortlessly as if it were water. But they were crabs unlike what either Carly or Freddie was used to. For one, they were smaller than their reddish-brown counterparts and looked to be about the size of a quarter. And two, they were as white as the sand they inhabited. They had spindly legs like arachnids that scuttled just beneath the surface, creating holes just bigger than a pin prick all along the beach. Both Carly and Freddie watched them for several more seconds as they memorised their every movement.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Freddie asked softly of Carly.

"Yeah." Carly agreed meekly.

"Come on, let's eat before the food gets cold." Freddie suggested quickly while opening up the picnic basket.

Carly nodded and leant over Freddie while examining the contents of the picnic basket. Each dish had been expertly wrapped up in foil and placed in separate wicker bowls; the chef had even provided a bottle of mineral water and champagne, surrounded by ice packs on each end to keep them cool.

Carly began rubbing her hands gleefully as Freddie took each item out one by one as well as two plates and two champagne glasses and set them down onto the blanket beside them. She recognised the familiar entrée of crab cake appetisers; a plate of satay (a local delicacy of chicken and beef kebabs marinated in a peanut sauce glaze) and some steaming Asam Laksa, a soup made with noodles, pineapple and fish. Their main courses consisted of two dishes of local cuisine: Nasi Goreng, a dish containing fried rice and grilled mackerel and Hokkien Mee, a dish containing yellow noodles and pork. Freddie retrieved a metallic flask from the bottom of the basket containing what was labelled as 'Teh Tarik', sweetened tea made with condensed milk and loved by the locals as well as a selection of pineapple tarts for dessert.

"I thought we could sample some of the local cuisine," Freddie murmured stoically while dishing up some food for Carly.

"It all looks so good. I don't even know where to start." Carly admitted truthfully.

"How 'bout some soup?" Freddie asked pleasantly.

"Okay," Carly returned with a broad smile on her face.

They began tucking into their early dinner with vigour and enthusiasm. For the most part, they enjoyed themselves a great deal while savouring the tastes of the various meals before them, save for Carly not really taking to the satay while Freddie had his doubts about the teh tarik. But they both agreed that the pineapple tarts were delectable and the Nasi Goreng sumptuous. Carly giggled as Freddie opened the cork on the champagne bottle with a loud pop and poured each of them a glass.

"I'd like to propose a toast," Carly began in a somewhat sombre tone.

"Here's to more moments like this and plenty of adventures together. There's no one else I'd rather spend moments like these with than you, Freddie." She added sincerely as her voice broke out into a wide smile once more.

"Amen to that," Freddie replied exuberantly as they clinked glasses and sipped on their champagne.

"Hmm, this is the good stuff," he commented in a professional tone while savouring the taste on his tongue.

Carly agreed with Freddie's sentiments by downing the rest of her champagne and getting to her feet in a hurry.

"Hey, where are you going?" Freddie asked wonderingly.

"I wanna test out the water and see how warm it is." Carly answered nonchalantly.

"I didn't say I wanted to do it alone," she added coyly, tilting her head to the side to grin mischievously at Freddie as she began skipping forward.

'_Cause I'm a gypsy_

_Are you coming with me?_

_I might steal your clothes_

_And wear them if they fit me_

Freddie chuckled aloud and got to his feet and followed Carly as she began walking ankle-deep through the crystal waters. Soon, they had linked arms and hands as they began walking leisurely along the shore and talking intimately amongst themselves. Carly seized an opportunity to be more playful when Freddie glanced behind him to make sure that their patio door was shut by splashing him with tepid sea water.

"Oh no, you did not just splash me!" Freddie exclaimed tersely while Carly openly laughed at him.

"Oops," Carly apologised flippantly with a wide grin on her face.

"I hope you know what you've just started. I'm about to take the safeties off now," Freddie warned before splashing a huge handful of seawater into Carly's surprised face.

Carly spat out a mouthful of seawater and gasped indignantly back at Freddie. It wasn't long before she started chasing after Freddie as they waded deeper through the crystal water, splashing him haphazardly from behind. Freddie dodged Carly deftly each time as he jerked from left to right out of her grasp.

_I never made agreements_

_Just like a gypsy_

_And I won't back down_

'_Cause life's already bit me_

"Don't run away from me, Freddie! Come take it like a man!" Carly called out laughingly when she finally caught up to Freddie.

"Okay," Freddie replied simply.

Instead of running, he opted for picking Carly up into his arms.

"What are you doing?" Carly asked nervously while holding on tightly to Freddie.

"I told you I was going to take the safeties off, Carly." Freddie responded with a cryptic smile on his face.

"Freddie, why are you wading into deeper water?" Carly pressed urgently as Freddie took a few more steps forward.

"You started this water fight, Carly. Now you're gonna finish it." Freddie answered ominously.

"No wait, Freddie! Let's call a truce, I just washed my hair! Please don't do anything drast-AAAH!" Carly shrieked when Freddie made to let go of her.

_And I won't cry_

_I'm too young to die_

_If you're gonna quit me_

'_Cause I'm a gypsy_

Freddie let Carly slip momentarily from his arms right before catching her on a reflex before she could actually fall into the water. He laughed hysterically at the look of horror on her face.

"You should see your face," he chortled loudly.

"Fredward Benson, that is not funny!" Carly scolded while scowling.

"Carly, I was just kidding; I wouldn't have dropped you for real." Freddie chided soothingly.

"Promise?" Carly asked softly, unable to resist the look of remorse in Freddie's eyes.

"Promise." Freddie responded sincerely.

With Carly still in his arms, Freddie waded slowly out of the water back towards their beach blanket. Carly wrapped her arms firmly around Freddie's neck, enjoying the feel of him carrying her steadily in his strong arms.

_I said, 'hey you!'_

_You're no fool if you say no_

_Ain't it just the way life goes?_

_People fear what they don't know_

_Come along for the ride_

_Come along for the ride_

He set her down gently onto the blanket and sat down next to her once more. It was nearing 6pm and hues of orange and pink were strewn along the horizon as sunset approached. By the looks of it, everyone else who had been on the beach earlier had already gone back indoors.

"You really had me going there for a moment," Carly remarked lightly, referring to Freddie almost throwing her into the sea.

"I know. I'll always be there to catch you. I'll never let you fall, Carly." Freddie declared vehemently while staring her straight in the eyes.

Something about the way that Freddie was looking at Carly made her swallow her breath down in one big gulp. She kept her eyes on him all the while and moved closer to him, cupping his face gently in her hands. Then she leant in and laid a chaste kiss on his lips, causing him to close his eyes and shudder ever so slightly. Freddie opened his eyes once more and kissed Carly back more fervently, allowing his tongue to venture inside her mouth. Carly reciprocated as she began panting breathily in-between kisses as she held on tightly to him. When they finally broke apart, she shakily began tugging at Freddie's shirt.

"Carly, what are you doing?" Freddie asked uncertainly.

"I love you and I want you. Make love to me, Freddie." Carly implored urgently, her eyes growing darker with each passing second.

_Candlelight and soul forever_

_A dream of you and me together_

_Say you believe it_

_Say you believe_

"Here?" Freddie asked quizzically while glancing around them wildly.

Carly nodded while biting her bottom lip.

"I don't know, Carly. This is a public place." Freddie protested weakly.

"Public place. Private beach." Carly emphasised coyly while she began kissing Freddie's neck sensually.

Freddie groaned aloud at the feel of Carly's lips on his body. He remembered all too well that just hours ago, he had propositioned Carly in the airport lounge with the very same logic. And he wanted her just as much as she wanted him. The time for waiting was indeed over.

"What the hell? It wouldn't be a honeymoon without breaking a few rules on public decency." Freddie muttered teasingly before lowering his head towards Carly's once more and kissing her fervently.

_Come a little bit closer baby_

_Get it on_

_Get it on_

'_Cause tonight is the night_

_When two become one_

Carly placed her hands on Freddie's chest to steady herself as each of Freddie's kisses made her dizzy with desire. Her hands ventured underneath his shirt as she began rubbing small circles along his well-defined muscles and abdomen. Freddie shuddered once more as he peeled away part of Carly's pashmina which hung around her shoulders and began kissing her shoulder blade sensually. After holding onto him for a few seconds, Carly moved away from Freddie and began removing her pashmina entirely and tossing it behind her. With a little help from his wife, Freddie too began removing his shirt from his body as well.

Carly leant towards Freddie once more and began peppering his chest with soft kisses. Freddie's hands moved into Carly's luscious locks in turn and held on tightly while Carly continued her movements. Then Freddie moved Carly's face upwards till it was level with his again and kissed her ferociously. Then he flipped them over so that Carly was now lying with her back against the blanket and Freddie on top of her. Freddie used both hands to peel away at the straps on Carly's tank top till she leant forward and allowed him to pull the entire thing off of her body, leaving her in her hot pants and topless before him.

Carly's breath caught in her throat when she felt Freddie incline his head towards her chest and begin kissing the areas around her breast and navel, as if he were memorising every curve and line. She closed her eyes and sighed in ecstasy, unable to remember a time before this when she had felt so new and alive all at once. Carly gasped aloud at the feel of Freddie's mouth suddenly covering her right breast, his tongue swirling around the taut nipple and swollen peak, which hardened in arousal with each passing second. He used one of his hands to massage Carly's left breast while his remaining hand strayed down towards her shorts and crept inside. Carly could only gasp and moan in rapture at the sensation of Freddie pleasuring her breasts and fingering her wet folds as she gripped his hair in her hands, her eyes shut tightly.

_Once again when we endeavour_

_Love will bring us back together_

_Take it or leave it_

_Take it or leave it_

Freddie finally left Carly's breasts and kissed her bellybutton once more before sliding Carly's shorts off of her thighs till she kicked them off haphazardly from her ankles. His head dipped even lower as he began kissing Carly's inner thigh while using his teeth to remove her lingerie underwear. At this point, Carly was a quivering mess of emotions from all of Freddie's relentless teasing. She liked foreplay as much as any woman; but now, she wanted all of Freddie as long as he was willing to give her everything.

"Freddie, I need you inside me. Now." Carly pleaded in a husky voice dripping with want and anticipation.

_I need some love like I've never needed love before_

_Wanna make love to ya baby_

_I had a little love, now I'm back for more_

_Wanna make love to ya baby_

Freddie grinned at her in response and kissed her once more on the lips. Carly sat up slightly and began unbuckling Freddie's board shorts and unzipping them. Freddie hurriedly shrugged them off and then swiftly removed his boxer briefs in quick succession. Using his hands and elbows, Freddie gently lowered himself down onto Carly's body so as not to crush her with his full weight, their eyes locked on one another all the while.

"You're so beautiful, Carly." Freddie murmured in awe as he continued looking at her.

Carly felt like breaking down right then and there by the sheer sincerity of Freddie's words. Without saying anything or taking her eyes off of him, Carly's hands slipped between their bodies, gently grabbed hold of Freddie's penis and began guiding it slowly inside of her. Freddie followed her movements, going as slowly as possible throughout as he travelled towards her core. When he was all the way in, Carly shuddered deeply, savouring the feeling of Freddie filling her up in every way that mattered most to her. It was a only a matter of seconds before her hands wove their way around Freddie's back and squeezed his posterior, urging him to begin moving.

_Set your spirit free_

_It's the only way to be_

Freddie nodded slowly and began thrusting gently and assuredly into Carly, the muscles in his arms, shoulders and chest flexing with exertion. Carly sucked in a breath as her hips followed his movements, her hands locking on his arms in turn. Sweat began forming on Freddie's brow and chest as he continued pumping relentlessly in and out of Carly, his movements matching that of the waves breaking on top of one another in the distance. Carly began mewling in satisfaction as Freddie hit her inner walls repeatedly; she began digging her fingernails into Freddie's forearms continuously as her legs locked around his calf muscles like shackles. Freddie grunted audibly and panted as he kissed Carly in-between thrusts.

"Oh God, that's it, right there, Freddie." Carly moaned breathlessly and repeatedly as he kept ramming into her at a steady pace.

"Oh God, Carly, you feel so good." Freddie murmured in turn as his eyes rolled into his sockets from the pleasure filling up his groin and satiating through the rest of his body.

Carly then began clawing frantically at Freddie's back as her breath became shallower and he knew she was close to her approaching orgasm. He slid a hand in-between their joined bodies and began stroking her clit urgently, sending spurts of pleasure-filled electricity coursing along her skin, which was glistening with small beads of sweat. While Freddie continued gratifying Carly's lower regions with one hand, he used his other hand to hitch Carly's leg around his waist as he continued plunging deeper and deeper inside of her till there was no more space between them.

"Uhngh, Freddie! I'm almost there!" Carly howled out in pleasure.

"It's okay, Carly. Just let yourself go." Freddie mumbled frantically.

He groaned aloud when he felt Carly's inner walls begin clamping down furiously on his penis. Carly's eyes rolled in their sockets as the tight knot in her stomach began to dissipate, only to be replaced by mind-boggling pressure and pleasure meshed together as her orgasm began rolling violently through her body, causing it to shiver and tremble of its own accord. Freddie continued pumping in and out of Carly, gasping and shuddering with bliss as his hands found Carly's and entwined them together.

"I love you so much," he moaned through closed eyes and gritted teeth as his orgasm began coursing through his entire body.

"Love you too," Carly gasped in return as she caressed Freddie's sweaty back.

They held onto each other tightly throughout until finally stopping their movements altogether. Freddie eventually lifted himself off of Carly and shifted his head onto her stomach as he listened to her rapid heart beat hammering in her chest. Carly planted a chaste kiss on Freddie's forehead and ran her hands painstakingly through his hair, which was damp with sweat.

"I hope we didn't just give our neighbours a good look into our brand new sex life." Freddie joked lightly, causing Carly to giggle in turn.

"Well I don't mind them looking. I want everyone to know that you're mine, and I'm yours." Carly murmured sincerely as she kissed Freddie gently on the lips.

"I like the sound of that." Freddie responded slowly in turn as he traced Carly's cheek with a lone finger.

"I think it's time to head inside," Carly announced seductively while moving up towards Freddie and kissing him sumptuously.

"What about our clothes and the picnic basket?" Freddie inquired wonderingly as Carly got to her feet and began walking slowly back towards their villa in the nude.

"You're not gonna need them for what I'm about to do to you," Carly answered slyly while winking suggestively back at Freddie.

That was all the convincing Freddie needed before getting to his feet and chasing after Carly. He caught up to her after a second or two later and picked her up in his arms. Carly squealed in delight and wrapped her arms around Freddie's neck while she kissed him fervently as he led her back inside and closed the patio door behind them with a loud bang.

After scrambling haphazardly through the villa without the lights on mixed in with Carly laughing uproariously as they constantly knocked into furniture, Freddie eventually made it into their bedroom and threw Carly roughly onto the bed. He then covered her body with his once and kissed her passionately while cupping the side of her neck with one hand and tracing the curve of her breast with the other. In one swift manoeuvre, Carly shifted their positions so that she was now straddling Freddie's body instead.

_I think I'll let her call me sometime_

_And if I'm feeling very good, we'll climb_

_Into each other's heads_

_The last one out can make the bed_

Freddie eyed her movements in anticipation as Carly raked her fingernails over his chest, leaving her mark on his body. Then she replaced her fingers with her mouth as she prostrated herself over Freddie's lower body, kissing and licking the skin along his pecks and bellybutton before moving lower. Freddie hissed with sudden elation when Carly's hand found his engorged erection and began stroking him gently. His elation soon turned to unequivocal ecstasy when Carly moved her mouth over his length. Freddie bucked his hips ever so slightly as Carly's head bobbed up and down rhythmically over his erection. Freddie hissed in pleasure at the sensations coursing through his body as his hand wove their way into Carly's hair, bringing her even closer to him.

It wasn't long before Carly had mounted Freddie and begun writhing above him in ecstasy, using his shoulders as leverage to plunge herself deeper inside of him. It was all Freddie could do in his current state of arousal not to look up at Carly as she moved over him, her eyes half closed and her mouth slightly agape as a low moan escaped her lips. Freddie's hands moved towards Carly's hips as he began thrusting up into her. Carly threw her head back in ecstasy as her hands cupped her breasts and squeezed them painstakingly. Freddie's hands left Carly's hips and moved towards her breasts and ran his hands over the curvy mounds. Carly's eyes opened at Freddie's touch and it was all she could not to stare down at him as he moved in sync with her, his eyes rolling in their sockets as the sweat glistened off of his lean and muscular body. Freddie began grunting and moaning loudly, letting Carly know that he was close.

_I'm feeling very beautiful tonight_

_Lookin' just about as lovely as sight_

_You might choose to stay around_

_Let's get married from the waist down_

"Come on, Freddie, let go. Take me over the edge with you." Carly implored through her own shallow breaths as she moved faster over him.

"Oh God, Carly. I want you so much. Uhngh, never wanna stop." Freddie howled as he kept ramming repeatedly into Carly.

He reached between their joined bodies and began stroking Carly's clit furiously to bring her to climax along with him. Carly felt that all too familiar bubble of pleasure forming in her stomach begin to snap and release, ricocheting off of every nerve ending inside her body as her orgasm began rocketing through her body. Freddie in turn felt the pressure building in his groin from Carly's inner walls clamping down on him as he felt his release approaching fast like lightning. Then it hit and he continued thrusting into Carly over and over again, emptying himself into her as he rode out both their orgasms.

They were crying out together and holding on for dear life all the while as Carly leant over Freddie's chest, gripping his shoulders while he gripped her supple waist tightly. And then they were slowing down as Carly continued rocking against Freddie's body, the full weight of her climax making her weak with exhaustion and satisfaction. When they were through and still joined together, Carly's head fell against Freddie's damp chest, her arms draped lazily around his neck as she tried to catch her breath. Freddie's hands in turn wound their way around Carly's moist back and brought her closer to him as he tried to steady his erratic breathing.

"That was amazing," Freddie murmured after a few seconds of silence as he drew lazy patterns with his finger across Carly's naked back.

"I know. I didn't think it could be this good. You make me feel so much more than I've ever felt before. I love you, Freddie." Carly responded emphatically as she glanced up at her husband.

"I love you too, Carly." Freddie stated sincerely as his lips found hers yet again during the night.

When they broke apart, Carly kissed Freddie's chest lightly and rested her cheek on it once more.

"We should try and get some sleep. It's been a long day." She murmured sleepily as her eyes began closing of their own accord.

"Tell me about it. The jet lag's gonna be a bitch in the morning." Freddie commented dryly while feeling sudden exhaustion creeping onto him slowly as Carly chuckled above him in the darkness.

"Good night, Freddie." Carly greeted in a husky voice.

"Good night, Carly. Sweet dreams." Freddie greeted back while caressing the strands of her black hair gently.

"You too."

And they fell asleep just like that in each other's arms, savouring the musty air all about them and the gentle crashing of the waves in the distance.

* * *

Freddie awoke several hours later, squinting at the bright sunlight which poked through the open curtains in the bedroom. His hand idly wandered towards the left side of the bed where Carly was sleeping and instead only encountered vacant space. Freddie groaned in disappointment, wondering where his wife could've gotten to. He glanced at the alarm clock to his right and realised that it was already 9am. Had he really slept for so long? Just as he had made up his mind to get out of bed and look for Carly, he heard her singing softly from somewhere just beyond the bedroom. He grinned to himself and listened attentively to her soft and melodious voice, wondering what she was doing. His curiosity was finally satiated when Carly entered their bedroom once more, wearing nothing but one of his baggy blue dress shirts which covered her upper body and hips with the sleeves rolled up to her forearms and carrying a tray of breakfast.

"Aw, you're already awake! I wanted to surprise you." Carly whined dramatically.

"With what?" Freddie asked sleepily as Carly came and sat down beside him.

"I made you some breakfast." Carly announced brightly while resting a tray laden with bacon, scrambled eggs, toast and a steaming cup of coffee on his lap.

"Aw, Carly, you shouldn't have," Freddie remarked in surprise as he sat up in bed.

"Too late. Here, have some toast." Carly remarked simply and handed Freddie a slice of toast.

Freddie took a big bite out of his toast with a loud crunch, which made Carly giggle lightly.

"How is it?" Carly asked nervously as Freddie ate some of his bacon and scrambled egg.

"Hmm, so good. But all this food is making me hungry for something else," Freddie murmured with a seedy grin on his face.

Carly matched his grin and bent her head forwards as they kissed one another gently and lavishly. When they broke apart, Carly opened her eyes and gazed at Freddie with love and adoration.

"How can you possibly be thinking about that right now? Aren't you still suffering from jet lag?" she asked him laughingly.

"Are you kidding me? Carly, we slept for more than 10 hours last night. Besides, I'm always thinking about it when I'm with you." Freddie offered knowingly as he cupped the side of Carly's face.

"Last night was amazing." Carly stated genuinely while staring deeply into Freddie's hazel brown eyes.

"It really was. You were worried for nothing. We're perfect together in every way, Carly." Freddie replied earnestly, his eyes locked on hers.

"I know. I just can't believe we waited this long." Carly marvelled in awe.

"Your idea, not mine." Freddie teased, which earned him an eye-roll from Carly.

"Well, aren't you glad we waited? Last night wouldn't have been as incredible if it hadn't been our first time together. That's what made it so special for me." Carly admitted seriously.

"Me too. But it was special for me because I was with you and no one else. You're the only one I ever want to have 'incredible' with." Freddie murmured earnestly.

"I feel the same way." Carly returned slowly before planting a searing kiss on Freddie's lips.

Freddie smiled at Carly when they broke apart and placed his breakfast tray on the pedestal next to the bed.

"So, since we're both not so jet lagged anymore, what do you wanna do today? The hotel's got a lot of great activities: jet skiing, salsa lessons, a tour of the island…"

"Or we could just stay in." Carly interjected softly while leaning in and kissing Freddie's neck seductively.

"Weren't you just teasing me for being horny a second ago?" Freddie asked suspiciously while his hands rested on Carly's hips.

"I was. But that doesn't mean I'm not feeling a little horny myself," Carly answered slyly as she began sucking on Freddie's collarbone.

Freddie groaned aloud at the feel of Carly's tongue trailing tentatively across his skin.

"So that's the plan for the rest of the honeymoon? We're just gonna stay in the villa for 3 weeks, having mind-blowing, earth-shattering sex?" Freddie asked tentatively while caressing Carly's cheek with gentle touches.

"You say that like it's a bad thing. We could christen every single room." Carly responded slyly while biting Freddie's bottom lip.

Freddie grinned and brought Carly's lips towards his, crushing them with sheer intensity as his tongue ventured inside her mouth. It wasn't long before Carly had crawled back under the covers with Freddie, lying on top of him and kissing him passionately.

"I've created a monster," Freddie mumbled pleasantly before flipping Carly onto her back as he began unbuttoning her shirt amidst her scintillating laughter.

* * *

**Musical References:**

**1) **"**Gypsy" by Shakira**

**2) **"**Two Become One" by the Spice Girls**

**3) **"**Michelangelo's Holding Hands" by Sugar Drive**

* * *

**List of Malay Phrases and Words:**

**1) Selamat Datang = Welcome**

**2) Ke = To**

**3) Terima Kasih = Thank You**

**4) Lah = Add-on word commonly used in every-day expression**

**5) Makan/Makanan = Eat/To Eat**

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note: And there you have it, folks. Food, some wine, a little conversation, and then a lemon. I would really love to know what you all thought since this is my first attempt at a full-on lemon for Creddie and in one of my longer stories for FF. For more of my lemons, please consult the 'Strange Love: After Hours' collection in the Suite Life section and my abridged version of the 'Kama Sutra' (kidding about the last read). I'll have the remaining chapters up on FF very soon. I hope you've enjoyed the start of the Creddie romance in this story so far, there's still plenty more to come. Snapplelinz over and out!  
**


	6. iTake A Bath

**Author's Note: Hey, everyone! I hope you've all had an awesome week so far. I honestly wish I could say the same for myself, but at least the muse has been working overtime with loads of inspiration for this story and others of mine. In case anyone's confused, the next few upcoming chapters will mostly be a series of one-shots with two chapters near the end focusing on yet another important event in Freddie and Carly's marriage (wink wink, nudge nudge). I've decided to release this chapter a good 24 hours early before my bandwidth on my internet account gets capped (who can honestly live on 5 gigabytes a month?). So without ado, I present to you more of my shameless and irreverent anecdotes ; )**

**Disclaimer: I do not own iCarly. All I can take credit for is my exceptionally dirty mind...  
**

* * *

**16 July, 2026**

_**San Francisco – The Benson Household**_

Freddie's chest rose up and down rhythmically while he leant his head backwards and closed his eyes. It had been a long day at work and all he wanted to do now right now was forget all about it. He had stripped off his clothing, run himself a bath and then climbed in. Freddie remembered all those times that his mother had forced him to take unnecessary tick baths, until college to be precise before he finally put a stop to it. On this occasion, he was more than delighted that he could just relax for once in the bath without having to breathe in the putrid smell of tick disinfectant. The bath tub in question was just the right size, just big enough so that his feet wouldn't reach too far past the golden faucets if he tried. It was just a pity that both he and Carly didn't use it too often. Now all he needed to make this picture complete was his beautiful wife, who was due home any second now.

Carly unlocked the front door and entered the living room, looking thoroughly worn out. She shut the door and locked it with a loud sigh before leaning against it and closing her eyes momentarily. It had been a tiring day at work and she had been overjoyed when they had finally finished rehearsals for the latest broadcast of her radio show. It was good to finally be home and the only thing Carly wanted to do right now was see her husband and melt into his strong and comforting arms.

"Carly! Marissa! Freddie! Hello? Anybody home?" Carly called out hopefully as she ascended the stairs to their bedroom.

"Hey, sweetheart! I'm in the bathroom!" Freddie called out jubilantly.

Carly strolled into their bedroom and removed her jacket, tossing both that and her purse onto the bed and slipping off her high heels before heading towards the bathroom. Her eyes lit up when she saw her husband.

"Hey you," she greeted slowly as she moved towards him.

Carly then leant over Freddie and kissed him at a luxuriously slow pace.

"Hmm," Freddie murmured contentedly as his tongue traced the contours of Carly's lower lip while he kissed her hungrily.

"Hello to you too," he greeted back saucily when they finally broke apart.

"I missed you today," Carly admitted sincerely.

"I missed you too. I'm so glad you're finally home." Freddie returned, matching her tone.

"Me too. What's going on?" Carly asked when she suddenly realised exactly what Freddie was doing.

"What do you mean?" Freddie asked quizzically.

"You're taking a bath." Carly noted softly.

"I'm taking a bath." Freddie confirmed.

"Why are you taking a bath?" Carly questioned suspiciously.

"What's wrong with me taking a bath?" Freddie demanded incredulously.

"Ew, I can't believe you just asked me that. Baths are disgusting."

"Because…?"

"Because…you're just stewing around in your own filth for who knows how long."

"Carly, how dirty do you think I am?" Freddie questioned disbelievingly.

"The point is that showers are healthier, and less icky." Carly concluded firmly.

"You only say that because you've never actually taken a bath before." Freddie noted reasonably.

"True, and I don't intend on taking one any time soon either. At least with showers, you know where the water's been." Carly answered determinedly.

"Carly, take a peek in the bathtub."

"What for?"

"Just do it."

Carly acquiesced and knelt over the edge of the tub to look inside.

"What do you see?" Freddie asked expectantly.

"I see the rest of your pasty body, Freddie." Carly teased frankly.

"Funny. But oddly enough, that's my point. You wouldn't be able to see my pasty body if the water was dirty, Carly. Look at it, it's as clear as a mirror." Freddie answered lightly.

"Noted." Carly stated reluctantly.

"So now that you're reassured of that fact, come take a bath with me." Freddie offered pleasantly.

"Nice try, Benson. So not gonna happen." Carly rebuffed with a smirk on her face.

"Suit yourself. You're missing out for sure; there are no hidden bugs or bacteria in this bathtub," Freddie answered with a self-satisfied grin.

"Says you. There could be hundreds of micro organisms undetectable to the naked eye lurking around in that tub of doom." Carly replied dramatically.

"Well then, if there are deadly micro organisms in this bathtub, it stands to reason that there are just as many of those in your shower of doom." Freddie teased back airily.

Carly grinned at Freddie's silliness and began glancing over her general appearance in the mirror adjacent from the bath tub.

"Where's Carly?" she asked momentarily.

"Sleeping over at Angela Giamatti's house. Even though Friday is still technically a school night, it's nearer to the weekend. So I said it would be okay. Mrs Giamatti will drop her off here tomorrow around noon." Freddie answered informatively.

"Sounds nice. I didn't see your mom downstairs either," Carly noted absent-mindedly while removing her earrings from her ears.

"Out with James," Freddie replied frankly.

"Ooh, sounds serious. I bet we'll be hearing wedding bells any day now." Carly teased cheerfully.

"Don't say that, it's only been three months since they even started dating. This is my mother we're talking about." Freddie complained with revulsion.

"Exactly, and she deserves to be happy after all this time. And James makes her happy. Doesn't that make you happy, honey?" Carly asked seriously while glancing back at her husband.

"Of course it makes me happy to see her happy. It's just gonna take some getting used to seeing her with someone else besides my dad. With the way things are going, James could be my step-dad." Freddie admitted somewhat reluctantly.

"Aw, you're so cute when you're freaking out." Carly joked lightly while removing her make-up with a thin alcoholic swab which she retrieved from the medicine cabinet.

"Oh really? And what if your Dad remarried after only knowing the woman for a few months?" Freddie questioned shrewdly.

That wiped the smirk instantly off Carly's face while she considered the possibilities.

"Touché," she commented with a wry expression on her face.

"Seriously, why are you taking a bath?" Carly asked curiously as a way of changing the subject while running a hand through her dishevelled hair.

"Just trying to relax, I had a pretty stressful day. How 'bout you?" Freddie asked in turn while glancing at his wife's back.

"Same. The prompter stopped working midway through rehearsals. So we had to start from scratch while the crew members looked for a prompter that still worked in the building. I was basically winging it the whole time. What's wrong?" Carly asked unexpectedly when she noticed Freddie rubbing his shoulder blade out of the corner of her eye.

"It's nothing," Freddie answered a little too quickly.

"Freddie, don't lie to me. Is it your back again?" Carly prodded shrewdly as she turned around to face him.

"It's just a little stiff, that's all. And when I get stressed out at work, it tenses up even more." Freddie explained casually while massaging the back of his neck.

"I wish you would just go see a chiropractor about it." Carly murmured worriedly as she moved towards the bathtub.

"I haven't had time to make an appointment. Hence why I'm taking a bath. It's the only thing that soothes it at this point." Freddie offered lightly with a slight groan of discomfort.

Before Freddie could ask her, Carly knelt down on the carpet next to the bathtub and placed her hands on Freddie's shoulders. Then she began massaging his shoulder blades and the surrounding muscle with slow and even strokes, her fingertips gliding gently across his skin.

"What are you doing?" Freddie asked curiously when he felt the sudden pressure on his back.

"You could've just asked me to give you a massage when I got home instead of writhing in pain in the bathtub," Carly murmured lightly while her hands worked silent magic on Freddie's aching muscles.

"I honestly didn't even think about that. And I am not writhing in pain." Freddie protested quickly.

"Always so stubborn, Fredward." Carly quipped knowingly while shaking her head.

"You really don't have to do this. I know you're tired, Carly." Freddie attempted once more.

"Lean forward a little so I can get better access to your back." Carly commanded gently, ignoring Freddie completely.

Freddie sighed and did just as Carly instructed. He wasn't sorry close to a minute later when Carly's ministrations appeared to be alleviating the tension in his upper back. He couldn't suppress the moan that escaped his lips as Carly's thumbs created a slow circular rhythm around his shoulder blades which made his skin tingle. He closed his eyes and leant forward even more, savouring Carly's touch all the more.

"How does that feel?" Carly asked demurely, cutting into Freddie's thoughts.

Something about the innocent way in which Carly had phrased her question was doing strange things to Freddie. He glanced down at his lower body immersed in the water and realised that he had been slowly developing a very noticeable hard-on since Carly had began massaging him. So far, Carly hadn't yet noticed the evidence of his arousal, all of her concentration focused on alleviating the pain in his upper body. Freddie decided that it was high time to remedy the current situation before he went completely out of his mind.

"It feels so amazing. You're amazing." Freddie complimented truthfully while glancing furtively at Carly's work attire.

"Thanks, I try." Carly replied airily with a small smirk on her face.

Freddie was finding it very difficult to control himself when Carly grinned at him like that. It was bad enough on days when he would be sitting in his office with a box of software in front of him that needed to be modified, imagining his wife's petite body beneath his, thrashing about in ecstasy while they made wild and passionate love. But now that she was so close in proximity to him, the thought of wanting to be inside her became even more unbearable with each passing second.

"Why don't you lean in a little closer so that I can thank you properly?" Freddie asked tantalisingly with a mischievous grin on his face.

Carly matched his grin as she took her hands off of his shoulder. Then she leant in front of him as their lips met in mid-air. Freddie tilted his head to the side to gain better access to Carly's mouth before allowing his tongue to venture inside. Carly grabbed hold of the bathtub railing nearest to her to steady herself when Freddie cupped her head with both hands while kissing her with unbridled passion. Carly gasped slightly at the feel of Freddie's hands running through the silky strands of her hair with gentle precision while her nose grazed against his. Whenever it was like this between them, Carly often wondered how she mustered any strength to be apart from Freddie for hours at a time during the day, when all she wanted to do was melt into his arms and succumb to every ounce of love and desire that she had for him.

Her sense of tranquillity changed very abruptly when she suddenly felt the weight of her own body shift upwards before she felt herself being hoisted up from the bathtub carpet. Before her closed eyes could even register how it had happened, she found herself situated in the bathtub in front of Freddie, her work clothes and her hair sopping wet. Her surprise soon turned to annoyance when she realised that Freddie had in fact grabbed her and pulled her into the bathtub with him.

"Freddie!" Carly scolded reproachfully while flailing her arms about her in the tepid water.

"Oops," Freddie teased flippantly, which incensed Carly even more.

"You did that on purpose! Freddie, I'm wearing my favourite work pants." Carly retorted angrily.

"So take them off," Freddie suggested slyly.

"Freddie, I told you that I didn't wanna take a bath," Carly whined tersely.

"So don't take a bath then. I can think of plenty of other things we can do in a bathtub together." Freddie replied smoothly while he slowly began removing Carly's black waist coat from her white blouse.

"Is his how you thank me for giving you such an awesome back rub?" Carly demanded indignantly.

"As a matter of fact, this is exactly how I wanted to thank you for putting your hands all over my body. Now I'm going to return the favour," Freddie answered truthfully as he began peppering Carly's collar bone with small butterfly kisses.

_If love were liquid, it would drown me _

_In a placeless place refine me_

_In a heart shape come around me_

_And then melt me slowly down_

Something about the way that Freddie's voice had descended to a lower octave made a small knot form in Carly's stomach. Without even looking downwards, Carly already knew that Freddie had already removed her waist coat and tossed it out of the bathtub and was now making short work of undoing the buttons on her white blouse. It always amazed her just how in sync hers and Freddie's minds and bodies were at moments like these. Whenever Freddie wanted her, she instinctively wanted to reciprocate. Half of the challenge for Carly was being able to go to work and not think of wanting to drive straight to Freddie's office, locking the door and making furious love to him on top of his desk. And then there were also moments like these, when she was giving him a harmless massage that almost always made her want to do more, even when she was trying her hardest to behave. But it was no good fighting what she clearly wanted, even if it meant that they were about to have sex in a bathtub.

_If love were human, it would know me_

_In a lost space, come and show me_

_Hold me and control me_

_And then melt me slowly down_

_Like a chocolate_

Freddie watched in fascination as Carly stopped his movements and began tearing off her own work blouse in quick succession before tossing it haphazardly onto the marble bathroom floor. That left Carly to fiddle torturously with the clasp on her wet pants submerged completely in the water. But after several more tension-filled seconds, Freddie managed to help her out of her pants, which only made it over the side of the bathtub because the saturated water had already made it too difficult to throw the pants further.

That left Carly in her bra and underwear as she straddled Freddie's lap and began kissing him fervently, her wet hair wavy now and splayed out against his neck. Freddie's hands moved around Carly's back to unclasp her bra. With a loud snap, the bra too had come undone, making it all the way to the bathroom sink with a loud whooshing sound. While Carly continued kissing Freddie's neck and shoulders hungrily, Freddie's hands moved towards her soaked underwear, removing it inch by inch until Carly leaned closer into his chest to kick them off her ankles. Then those too were unceremoniously disposed of, leaving Freddie and Carly completely naked before one another.

Freddie shifted his position so that his head was resting against the inflatable pillow that he had attached to the wall behind him while Carly moved above him so that their sexes were touching. Freddie growled and moaned loudly when Carly began grinding against his throbbing erection, creating a delightful friction between their bodies and the warm water surrounding them.

"Carly, please. I need you, so badly." Freddie practically whimpered while Carly moved over him.

Carly stopped her exquisite torture and regarded Freddie with a mischievous expression.

"Okay, I'll stop teasing you. But you're taking my work clothes to the dry cleaner first thing in the morning." Carly ordered playfully.

"You sure do have a weird way of talking dirty," Freddie teased, causing Carly to pinch his arm.

"Okay, no more teasing. This is your show," Freddie conceded soothingly.

"Damn right it is. When I get through with you, you're definitely gonna have to book a session with a chiropractor." Carly purred saucily in Freddie's ear as she leant forward against him.

"Is that a threat or a promise?" Freddie asked with a seedy grin.

_Like chocolate, come here_

_Zoom in, catch the smile_

_There's no doubt, it's for you_

_And I'm addicted tonight_

Carly laughed in response and engaged Freddie in a passionate kiss, her hands moving around his neck possessively. Freddie used his hands to guide Carly's hips forward and high up in the air right before parting her legs and placing her atop his throbbing erection. Carly moaned loudly at the feel of Freddie's penis inside of her heated and pulsing centre. Once Freddie had moved his own hips upwards to penetrate Carly at a different angle, Carly knew that she was ready. She wrapped her arms around Freddie's neck once more and buried her face into his shoulder as she began moving over Freddie's length. Freddie shuddered and gripped Carly's waist tightly as he began plunging himself deeper and deeper into her core.

Carly sighed and moaned with each passing second as she continued bouncing on top of Freddie. Her eyes rolled in her sockets at the feel of Freddie filling her up completely, hitting her walls with painstaking precision. Her hands moved downwards and caressed his chest, which was now wet with damp sweat and bathwater. Freddie groaned at the feel of Carly's fingers trailing along his chest, causing him to harden all the more. He kept pumping in and out of her as he brought the both of them closer to their mutual climax.

"Freddie, I need more." Carly pleaded breathlessly while closing her eyes.

"Harder," she moaned firmly.

Freddie nodded quickly and started going faster, causing their breath to quicken at the sight of their joined bodies moving together as if they were one. He panted and grunted, loving the feel of Carly's inner walls clamping down on his penis as he filled her up. And the way she was holding him, as if she would never let him go, made him all the more eager to pour every ounce of love into every single thrust. Freddie quickened his pace, using his elbows to steady himself in the bathtub while he shoved himself up inside of Carly, causing them both to moan with pleasure. He slowed down his movements after a few minutes when he realised that Carly's movements were becoming sluggish overhead.

"Are you tired?" Freddie asked in concern.

Not wanting to stop her movements, Carly nodded slowly.

"It's okay, you can stop. I'll take over." Freddie offered gently.

He then shifted their bodies so that Carly was now beneath them and he was on top while their bodies were still joined. Then Carly leant up into Freddie and kissed him passionately as he began thrusting into her as forcefully as before. Freddie leant over Carly's neck and began grazing her skin with his teeth, sending pleasurable shivers through Carly's entire body. Carly could feel it coming on slowly and torturously: building in the very tips of her toes to the knot tightening in her stomach as her inner walls began contracting around Freddie's penis.

"It's coming, Freddie." She murmured distractedly.

"I know, me too." Freddie agreed readily as their pelvic bones moved against one another's.

"Oh God, Freddie," Carly moaned repeatedly as Freddie hit yet another erogenous zone inside of her.

Freddie hissed as his orgasm began to build up at the feel of Carly holding him tightly, inside and out. He buried his face into her neck and kept ramming into her repeatedly, watching with delight while Carly began to come apart at the seams as her orgasm rocked her right to the bones. Watching her always made him come quicker as his body began vibrating till he thought his chest might burst from the sheer force of his orgasm. Carly rose up into him one last time, mewling loudly in his ear while she clutched at his sweaty hair painstakingly with both hands, as if she were holding on for dear life.

_Just one look boy to melt me down_

_Just one heart here to save me now_

_Your candy kisses are sweet I know_

_Hold me tight, baby don't let go_

"Carly!" Freddie cried out as he began filling her up with his seed till there wasn't anymore left to give.

Carly mewled keenly and finally went limp in Freddie's arms when her orgasm had finally ceased. His arms still around her, Freddie laid Carly's head back down against the inflatable pillow and kissed her deeply before kissing her brow. Carly reciprocated, pulling Freddie even closer, loving how their bodies were still connected.

"I love you so much," she murmured sincerely while gazing deeply into his hazel orbs.

"I love you too," Freddie replied, matching her tone while glancing back into her brown orbs.

He continued kissing her shoulder blades and breathing in her illustrious scent while Carly held him all the while, content to stay in that position forever.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Freddie was once again lying on his back in the bathtub, this time with Carly lying against his chest while he held her close.

"I gotta tell you, this was the last place in the bathroom that I expected to have sex in," Carly admitted laughingly.

"Why? We've already had sex on the floor a few times." Freddie replied teasingly, causing Carly to roll her eyes.

"I know, I'm just saying. Are you sure I didn't do more damage to your back?" Carly asked concernedly.

"Trust me, you did my back a favour, Carly. All that tension from work needed to be released," Freddie murmured smoothly while kissing her shoulder blade.

"Hmm, I'm glad you see it that way." Carly whispered back lazily as her grip on Freddie's hands increased all the more.

"I still think you should set up an appointment with a chiropractor just to be on the safe side though," she added as an afterthought.

"I will. Quick question: how much should I tell the doctor about the extent of my injuries?" Freddie asked seriously.

"I think full disclosure is more than necessary in this case." Carly answered frankly.

"Well, I don't know about that. I feel a little uncomfortable with full disclosure, especially when it's not my wife with me in the room." Freddie responded slyly while nibbling Carly's ear playfully, causing her to elbow him in the ribs.

"That's not remotely funny, Freddie." Carly retorted, feigning indignation.

"Sorry. Okay, truth time. It's not so bad being in a bathtub, right?" Freddie asked smugly.

Carly sighed audibly before answering.

"You're right, it's not so bad." She conceded resignedly.

Freddie frowned when Carly slowly disentangled herself from him and began getting out of the bath.

"Whoa, where are you going?" Freddie asked in disappointment, already missing the warm pressure of her body against his.

"I'm going to take a shower," Carly announced simply.

Freddie glanced between himself and Carly a few times, as if he were doing a double take.

"But we just took a bath together, in a bathtub," he informed her quickly.

"No, we just had sex in a bathtub. And now I need to get clean." Carly pointed out matter-of-factly.

"But you just conceded that it's not so bad in a bathtub." Freddie complained dramatically.

"Yes, when it's with you and we're having sex. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna start stewing around in my own filth on a regular basis." Carly answered disdainfully.

"No," she continued while shaking her head profusely, as if ridding her brain of the disgusting prospects.

She sauntered towards their shower and turned on the hot and cold water faucets.

"So that's it. You're just gonna leave me here?" Freddie asked in disbelief as Carly opened the glass shower doors and stepped inside.

"Pretty much," Carly responded with a devilish grin on her face right before she began to giggle incessantly at Freddie's expression.

"Unless you join me," she added after a few seconds in a different tone.

Freddie turned his head sharply to gaze at Carly. She had poked her head out of the shower door and was regarding him with a sultry look while biting her bottom lip, which was making him ache for her all over again. He didn't need a second invitation as he yanked the plug out of the bathtub. He hopped out of the bath without waiting for all the water to drain out.

"I'll bring my Rubber Ducky," he called out jokingly, causing Carly to laugh uproariously.

* * *

**Musical References:**

**1) "Chocolate" by Kylie Minogue**

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**Author's Note: Alright, you pulled it out of me. I confess: the only reason I even wrote this chapter was to include a smutty scene involving Creddie and a bathtub. There I said it! I couldn't get the idea out of my mind ever since I saw that bathtub scene in 'Out of Sight' with George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez. If anyone knows what I'm talking about, nod your heads and tilt your heads back with me.  
**

***waves hands in the air like she just don't care***

** I've come under a bit of fire lately for lacking imagination in finding different synonyms for certain words I keep repeating in this story and 'iLost And Found'. It got me a little down yesterday, until I realised that this is an opportunity for me to improve on my writing ability and grow as a person. After all, you can't let people get you down and discourage you from doing something that you love. I should have bandwidth again next week, which means I'll probably post again on Friday. Thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed this story so far. You're all awesome and wonderful and a host of other adjectives I can't quite express right now (for fear of sounding too cliched in my own writing, lol). I hope you all have an even better weekend. Snapplelinz out!**

**PS: If there are more typos in this chapter, I'll fix it by Saturday tops, promise.  
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	7. iDry Your Tears

**Author's Note: Hey, everybody? How have you been? By the time you all read this, I'll probably be laying passed out in my bed from exhaustion because I graduated earlier today. I still can't believe it; I finally have my undergraduate degree (very surreal). Now for the rest of the future, no biggie, right? Who knows, I might starting working on my independent novel any day now and submit it in my portfolio for a Masters in Creative Writing at my university. Well, one can dream, right? Now, onto the next Creddie chapter for this story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own iCarly or its characters (sigh)...  
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**25 February, 2028**

_**San Francisco – The Benson Household**_

Carly sat alone in the living room of her home, her raven black hair hanging around her face in ribbons while she cried steadily, clutching desperately at a lone photograph in her hand. She knew that she was probably ruining its filmy texture, but the tears just wouldn't stop no matter how hard she tried. It was as if a floodgate had opened up inside and every other emotion she possessed was pouring out of her body in a tumultuous landslide. She knew that she shouldn't have gone ahead without Freddie and Carly, but it was too late now. And all that was left was a dull ache in the region of her chest where her heart would normally be located.

Freddie must've broken at least a dozen traffic violations on his way home, but right now he didn't care that much. He couldn't shake that nagging feeling that something was wrong. He had tried calling Carly all day and she hadn't picked up the home phone or her cellphone once. He knew it was her day off, and she wasn't supposed to have any plans save for the ones she had made with him and Carly. So he had cancelled his afternoon appointments and driven home at the first opportunity, intent on finding out why his wife was avoiding his calls.

It had begun raining rapidly by the time he pulled into the driveway. He covered his head with one hand while rummaging in his pants pockets for the house keys as he sprinted forward. He unlocked the front door hurriedly and stepped into the house, which was devoid of light and eerily quiet.

"Carly!" Freddie called out loudly, listening anxiously for any sounds.

He then sped up the stairs and first checked in his daughter's bedroom, then his and Carly's bedroom. He darted downstairs once more and checked the kitchen. There wasn't a single soul in sight. Just when he had resolved to take out his cellphone and try calling Carly again, he caught sight of a figure completely rain sodden in the garden. He pushed open the patio doors and stepped outside tentatively, the rain pelting down mercilessly on him from overhead. Carly sat on one of the swings in the garden, her head bowed amidst her mass of wavy black hair, which was completely wet from the rain. Judging by the way that her shoulders were shaking convulsively, Freddie could tell she was crying, and quite hard too.

"Carly?" he called out gently, moving towards her slowly.

Carly looked up at him sharply as if she hadn't been aware of his presence just a meter away, her eyes wide and moist.

"Freddie!" she exclaimed in horror as she began wiping away her tears hastily.

"What are you doing out in the rain?" Freddie demanded worriedly, gesturing around at their surroundings.

"I'm sorry, Freddie. I didn't want you to see me like this." Carly confessed slowly.

"Where's Carly?" Freddie asked anxiously while gazing back at the house.

"I picked her up from school and dropped her off at your mom's apartment for the day." Carly answered truthfully, finally looking Freddie in the eye.

A few months into her new relationship with Dr. Hamilton, Marissa surprised Freddie, Carly and her granddaughter one night during dinner a year ago by announcing that she was considering on moving out of their home and getting her own apartment in the city. Her reasons for doing so was that she was finally ready to start living her own life apart from her son's and that the three of them needed to be a family without her constant input and interference. While the abrupt absence of Marissa in their home had taken some getting used to, the three Benson's were supportive of Marissa's decision throughout. And Marissa seemed genuinely happy with the new friends she had made and the new social projects she was currently involved in. Plus, her having an apartment 15-minutes away from them meant that Carly Marissa could still visit and spend time with her grandmother quite regularly, thereby allowing Freddie and Carly more time to themselves as a married couple.

"Carly, what's going on? You're scaring me." Freddie stated vehemently while gripping Carly's shoulders tightly.

"I went to Sam's grave without you and Carly." Carly declared seriously.

Freddie didn't respond, but waited for her to continue.

"I woke up this morning feeling like there was a dark cloud all around me. I thought it would be okay after you went to work and I dropped Carly off at school. But then I got home and started sifting through some of our old iCarly stuff and I just went to pieces. Before I knew it, I had gotten into the car and started driving to Colma. I thought that if I went there alone and dealt with my emotions by myself, then I'd be able to pull myself together by the time I picked Carly up from school and you got home from work. But I just felt worse after being at Sam's grave. After I dropped Carly off at your mom's, I just came home and shut myself up in the house. That's when I started watching the old home videos of the three of us back in Seattle…" Carly trailed off.

"Oh no, not the old home videos." Freddie lamented sympathetically.

"It's not even her anniversary, Freddie. But for some reason or other, I just really miss Sam today." Carly admitted soberly while the rain continued streaming down her face.

"Why didn't you call me, Carly? I would've come with you." Freddie stated gently.

"Because…I hate you seeing me like this and I didn't want you to worry. I thought you'd be upset with me when you found out that I went to Sam's grave without you and Carly. We were supposed to do it together and I ruined everything." Carly responded grimly.

"You think that's what I'm upset about? Carly, if you want to go visit Sam's grave by yourself, that's fine with me. But to do it when you're so upset and I didn't even know is what concerns me the most. I'll admit, I was feeling kinda down about Sam today too. So when I called you and you didn't pick up your phone, I panicked, thinking that something had happened to you and Carly while driving in this weather. How could I not be worried, Carly?" Freddie asked evenly.

Without speaking, Carly leant forward and enveloped Freddie in her arms, hugging him closely to her chest. Freddie arms wove around Carly's waist while he rubbed her back soothingly while she continued crying against his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Freddie." Carly whispered fiercely through her sniffles.

"Don't ever do that to me again. I've already lost Sam; I can't lose you too." Freddie responded seriously while running his hands through her wet hair.

When Carly finally pulled away from Freddie, she looked calmer than a few minutes before.

"I think it just finally hit me today. Sam's gone, Freddie. She's not coming back. Why am I only realising this now? It's been 10 years already. How did you deal with it all those years ago when…I wasn't around?" Carly asked tentatively while cupping Freddie's face in her hands.

"I didn't. It was still so fresh then and Carly was just a baby; I felt like I couldn't breathe, like someone was dunking my head in cold water and I couldn't come back up to the surface for air. So I just buried it deeper in the back of my mind as time went on and busied myself with other things like work and raising Carly. But every single day was hard, until you came back into my life. For the first time, I felt like it was okay to breathe, to be happy again after grieving for so long. You made me feel alive again, Carly. And it's gotten easier to deal with Sam not being in mine or Carly's life anymore because of you. You saved me, and it kills me that I can't be here for you when you feel the exact same way about Sam." Freddie answered sincerely as his eyes began stinging relentlessly.

"No, Freddie, listen to me. You are here for me; not just when I'm feeling sad about Sam, but every other day too, when I have a rough day at work or when I feel like I'm not doing a good enough job with Carly. You're always there, and I'm so grateful for you. I couldn't get through those days (even today) without you, Freddie. That's why I didn't want you to worry, because you have enough to worry about as is without me breaking down over some stupid home video." Carly reasoned emphatically.

"It's not stupid, Carly. And I don't ever want you to feel like you can't talk to me about anything. You and Carly are everything to me; the two of you will always come first. Like it or not, I'm never gonna stop worrying about you. I love you, Carly." Freddie returned sincerely.

Carly closed her eyes and enveloped Freddie's lips with hers, her hands caressing the back of his head painstakingly as they sat together in the rain.

"I love you too, Freddie." She murmured amidst the soft pitter-patter of the rain all around them.

"Good. Now let's get inside before we both catch pneumonia. Come on." Freddie implored gently, getting to his feet and holding out his hand to Carly.

A small smile formed on Carly's face before her hand found Freddie's, allowing him to pull her to her feet and lead her inside, his arm draped tightly around her shoulder. He closed the patio door and the two of them walked upstairs together, hand in hand. Carly didn't say anything when Freddie left her in their bedroom, letting go of her hand and walking into the bathroom across the hall. She heard the soft patter of water flowing swiftly from the faucets that was easily distinguishable from the rain outside. Freddie entered their bedroom a few seconds later, wearing an unfathomable expression on his face.

"Let's get you out of those wet clothes." He murmured gently while clasping her cold and clammy hands softly.

_All I wanna say is you're the satellite_

_In my life_

_You don't have to lie_

_You don't have to cry_

_Anymore_

After kicking off her pumps, Carly lifted her hands above her head, allowing Freddie to pull her heavy cardigan above her shoulders and over her head before tossing it onto the floor. Then came her sopping T-shirt, which clung stubbornly to her wet body as Freddie's hands moved towards her stomach and began rolling it slowly upwards before pulling it over her head too. Then his hands moved towards the belt on her jeans as he began unfastening them gently, leaving her button and zipper exposed. Carly stared down wordlessly at Freddie as his cold fingers moved towards her button and opened it before pulling the zipper down at an agonisingly slow pace. This time, Carly's own hands moved towards her jeans as she began pulling them down before kicking them off of her ankles. Carly shivered slightly when Freddie moved behind her suddenly as he began unclasping her bra, his breath tickling her clammy back and shoulders. Both their hands moved over Carly's panties, dragging them down past her waist, then down her thighs, past her knee caps, and finally over her ankles as she kicked them away.

Carly turned to face Freddie once more, her eyes giving nothing away. Freddie stood completely still as Carly moved closer towards him, her hands going towards his chest. She wordlessly began unbuttoning his rain-sodden dress shirt before removing the parts tucked into his pants. Then she parted the rest of his shirt, peeling it away as if it were a curtain as Freddie's bare chest came into view, rolling the sleeves away from his shoulders, his forearms and finally his wrists before throwing it down onto the ground. Her eyes drifted down towards his pants as she began unbuckling the belt, pulling it slowly through every single loop. Then her wet fingers moved towards his button, unclipping it gently before dragging his zipper downwards while Freddie kicked off his shoes at the same time. Freddie leant ever so slightly over Carly as he bent down to pull his pants down his legs and away from his body. Then when he had righted himself, Carly moved right into his personal space as her hands moved towards his boxers as she began rolling them down his waist, past his pelvic bones, down his thighs, past his legs and finally over his ankles. Once Freddie had taken his socks off and tossed them onto the ground, he and Carly stood unclothed together, gazing wordlessly at one another.

"Do you want to take a shower with me?" Freddie asked softly of Carly.

She glanced up into his eyes and nodded quickly, entwining their hands together and walking behind him into the bathroom.

Without letting go of Carly's hand, Freddie opened up the glass door, a hazy cloud of steam enveloping them instantly as he pulled her into the shower with him. Carly closed the sliding door with a gentle click and turned to face Freddie once more. Using his hands, Freddie steered Carly into the centre of the small cubicle till she was directly under the shower nozzle. She gasped slightly at the feel of the sudden heat hitting her shoulders and dripping over the rest of her body. A few seconds later, she closed her eyes and savoured the sensation of the hot water warming up her frigid skin.

"How's the water?" Freddie asked tenderly.

"It's good. Perfect." Carly answered truthfully, closing her eyes as the water overhead rained down onto her face.

Freddie grabbed a sponge and squeezed some shower gel into it. Then he rubbed his hand against the sponge till it made a thick and rich lather, which he began rubbing along Carly's arms, shoulder blades and neck. Carly gasped ever so slightly when the sponge made contact with her breasts as Freddie began lathering the foam around the peaks and the curvy mounds before dipping lower towards her stomach and navel. Then he knelt in front of her, carefully lifting each of her legs in turn to lather them in soap. Carly giggled softly when Freddie tickled the underside of her feet with the sponge as he placed her legs back down onto the tiled floor.

Then Freddie moved around her and began washing her back: first the back of her neck, then her shoulders and finally down towards her posterior and the backs of her legs. Carly automatically arched her head backwards and shut her eyes at Freddie's gentle touches, feeling warm and tingly all over. She shivered in pleasure when Freddie's hands found their way into her hair, sifting through the strands with his fingers. He grabbed the shampoo bottle located on the metallic stand beside him and squeezed a small portion into his palm before massaging it through Carly's hair with loving strokes. Then Freddie's fingers made their way towards Carly's forehead, pulling her back gently, causing her to lean against his chest while the water overhead washed through her hair while he removed the remaining shampoo residue with his fingers.

When Freddie was through, his hands moved just above Carly's breasts as he held her close in the shower. Carly's hands moved towards Freddie's resting on her body and gripped them tightly as she continued resting her back against his chest while his lips grazed her collarbone tentatively.

Carly turned around in Freddie's arms and hugged him tightly before she gently took the sponge away from him. Freddie glanced down at her movements as Carly put more soap onto the sponge and began lathering his chest in a circular motion. Then she began lathering a pathway up towards his neck, travelling towards his shoulder blades, his forearms and then his hands. Then she knelt down before him and tenderly lathered his thighs, legs and feet, rubbing soap along every curve and line with tentative measures. Then Carly got to her feet once more and placed her hands on Freddie's shoulders, gently steering him to turn away from her so that she could wash his back. Freddie craned his neck forward as he felt the sponge and Carly's hands making soapy patterns along the planes of his skin, dipping lower towards his posterior and ghosting over the backs of his thighs and calves. Then Carly placed the sponge back onto the metal rack as her hands crept around Freddie's waist from behind him, resting on his toned stomach and six-pack while her lips moved tentatively against his back.

Freddie finally turned around to face Carly and enveloped her in his arms, his chin resting on her shoulder blade. Carly lifted Freddie's chin away from her shoulder blade, looking at him with a silent flame dancing in her brown orbs right before she enveloped her lips with his and kissed him passionately. Somehow, they both ended up underneath the hot spray of the shower nozzle overhead, the water spilling down all around them, making the door white with a thick layer of steam. Their bodies became intertwined together as Carly's hands moved painstakingly through Freddie's wet tresses as her lips moved over his. Freddie's tongue traced Carly's upper and lower lips in succession as he caressed her neck and back. Carly's hands then slipped down towards Freddie's wet chest, tracing small patterns around the nipples and the hard pecks, causing Freddie to moan in pleasure.

"Oh God, Carly." Freddie hissed in ecstasy.

"Freddie…" Carly trailed off hoarsely, panting beneath her words.

"I need you."

Freddie opened his eyes and glanced down at Carly.

"Are you sure?" Freddie asked tentatively.

Carly looked Freddie dead in the eye and nodded slowly.

"But you're vulnerable right now. I don't want to take advantage of that." Freddie persisted seriously.

"You can't take advantage of a willing participant. You're my husband and I want you to make me feel better, more alive. Please, Freddie." Carly implored urgently.

_And then I hear you say_

_Let's live for the moment this time_

_Why don't you just make up your mind?_

Freddie bowed his head till his forehead was resting against Carly's.

"I'd do anything for you," he murmured seriously before planting a chaste kiss on Carly's lips.

While his eyes remained locked on Carly's, Freddie reached behind her and closed the shower faucets, plunging them into sudden silence in their confined space. Without taking her eyes off of him, Carly opened the shower door and stepped back into the bathroom, her hand still in Freddie's. It only took them a few minutes to dry themselves off with their towels before they wordlessly exited the bathroom together and entered their bedroom once more. It was impossibly dark all around them with the drapes shut, the sound of the rain still banging relentlessly against the windows as their lips crashed together in unison.

All that could be heard a few seconds later was the faint popping sound of Carly's lips leaving Freddie's before she lay down on the bed, pulling him on top of her. Freddie in turn covered their bodies with the duvet and tilted his head so that he could have better access to Carly's supple neck and collarbone as he peppered kisses all around her soft skin. Carly cradled Freddie's head in her hands and closed her eyes, drinking in every sensation of their bodies touching.

'_Cause you make my head spin_

_You make my head spin_

_Why?_

She sucked in a breath as Freddie's head moved lower down her body, slipping his tongue briefly into her bellybutton, then kissing and nipping gently at her knees sensually before parting her legs. He placed himself at her entrance, which was already moist with anticipation. Then Freddie's mouth began trailing slowly and deliberately along Carly's inner thigh before his tongue found its way inside of her wet folds. Carly gasped suddenly at the unexpected pleasure of Freddie teasing at her inner walls as he began a slow and torturous rhythm, pushing in and then pushing out in time with her hoarse panting. Carly's thighs closed of their own accord more tightly around Freddie's head as her fingers wound their way into his hair, gripping him and holding on for dear life as Freddie suckled on her like his very life depended on it. Freddie hit that spot deep within Carly that set her core alight, causing her eyes to roll in their sockets as she felt herself climaxing slowly.

"Freddie, I'm so close," Carly moaned as her head thrashed against the pillow.

Freddie made no response except to drive his tongue harder and deeper into her dripping centre. Then he used his index finger and thumb as he began stroking rapidly at Carly's bundle of nerves, causing her to whimper keenly, digging her nails into the sides of Freddie's neck in ecstasy. Her hips bucked impatiently against Freddie's body as she pushed his face further into herself, her orgasm rolling through her body like a tornado.

"Freddie!" Carly cried out, a gasp escaping her lips as she arched forward into his embrace.

She clutched at his head and clawed frantically at his back as numerous sparks of pleasure shot up her torso, leaving her feeling tingly all over when it finally ceased. With a grin on his face, Freddie crawled back up Carly's body and kissed her hard on the lips. Carly groaned into the kiss, loving how she tasted on Freddie's mouth as she cupped his face gently.

"Oh God, Freddie, that was incredible. Please don't stop," Carly begged earnestly amidst her rapid breathing.

"I couldn't even if I wanted to," Freddie murmured, matching her tone as he enveloped her in yet another searing kiss.

_I'm not perfect_

_I'm not perfect_

_Oh, no one is_

_I'm not perfect_

_I'm not perfect_

Carly began caressing Freddie's back with gentle touches as he aligned their sexes together beneath the covers. Freddie attached his lips to Carly's once more as he plunged into her core at the very same time, swallowing up Carly's moan as he hit one of her erogenous zones deep within. Carly felt herself arching off the bed, pushing herself deeper into Freddie's chest as he continued driving into her with practised strokes. Her hips were moving in time with his now: up and down, in and out, as Freddie placed one of her legs over his shoulder and continued thrusting into her.

Carly grabbed hold of Freddie's hair and tugged on it sharply, feeling unspeakable pleasure coursing through her bones as Freddie continued igniting this slow flame inside of her, threatening to overtake and overwhelm all her senses in one fell swoop. She was amazed when yet another orgasm began creeping up on her slowly, beginning at the point where hers and Freddie's bodies were connected together in agonising bliss.

"Oh, Freddie, what are you doing to me? I can't even think, I can't even – oh God, more!" Carly implored vehemently, arching into Freddie's chest and nipping at his shoulder blade with her teeth, causing Freddie to howl with pleasure.

"Urgh, I'll give you more, Carly! Urgh! I'll give you…everything." Freddie panted hoarsely, on the verge of exploding himself as the muscles in his posterior clenched and unclenched amidst his ministrations.

That silent flame, which had been growing since the start of their lovemaking, turned into an inferno, burning away at skin, muscle and bone as they writhed together in torturous ecstasy. Freddie buried his face deeper into Carly's chest, his teeth grazing her breast as his orgasm erupted through his body, making his heart pound with sudden adrenaline. Carly clutched at Freddie's posterior in turn, elevating her legs ands hips even more as Freddie drove into her with a final onslaught of measured thrusts. The breath literally died on Carly's lips when she finally climaxed hard against Freddie's body as they both came down from their mutual highs.

'_Cause you make my head spin_

_You make head spin_

_Why?_

_Why do you?_

_You make my head spin_

_You make my head spin_

The wild thumping of their hearts and panting were the only sounds that could be deciphered from the pitter-patter of the rain outside as Freddie left Carly's heated centre and opted for laying against her chest and neck, the duvet still covering their lower torsos. In an effort to steady her own breathing, Carly began playing with strands of Freddie's hair while her other hand snaked around his back and held him close, content to listen to him breathe.

"That was wonderful, Freddie. God, I love you so much, I need you to know that." Carly murmured vehemently before kissing Freddie softly on the forehead.

Freddie glanced up at her with a small smile on his face before leaning in and kissing her lavishly in turn.

"I did already know, but it's always good to hear it. And in case you were wondering, I love you too, Carly." Freddie responded sincerely, his eyes locked on hers all the while.

"I'm so sorry about today. I should've waited for you to come home so that the three of us could go to Colma together." Carly apologised meekly, her hands gently caressing Freddie's neck all the while.

"It's okay, Carly. But I want you to promise me that you'll call me the next time you feel like this; it doesn't matter if I'm in a meeting or out of the country. You don't have to feel like you're going through this alone. Promise me, Carly." Freddie urged painstakingly, his finger tracing a curvy line along her jaw.

"I promise, Freddie." Carly replied without hesitation.

"Good. Now let's just lay here a little while together. We'll pick Carly up from Mom's apartment, and then we'll go out." Freddie stated calmly.

"Where are we going?" Carly asked curiously of her husband.

"I think we need a break away from the house, away from all this sadness and grief just to embrace life, as a family. Let's do something fun tonight, just the three of us. There's the annual Street Performer's Festival happening near Pier 39." Freddie suggested nonchalantly.

"I thought that wasn't for another month," Carly remarked in bewilderment.

"I guess they moved the dates up," Freddie returned with a casual shrug.

"Well, whatever the case, that sounds perfect." Carly agreed earnestly as her lips found Freddie's in the dark once more.

"But we don't have to rush off just yet, right?" she asked tentatively while cradling Freddie's head in her dainty hands.

"Of course not, there's no rush at all. We've got all the time in the world." Freddie answered truthfully, his forehead touching his wife's.

"I like the sound of that," Carly murmured in a husky tone before crashing her lips against Freddie's once more, holding him close all the while.

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**Musical References:**

"**Headspin" by Lukas Rossi**

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**Author's Note: Shoo, I think I might have to take a shower after this chapter as well as stock up on some much needed mindsoap**** ; ) I'd like to say a big thank you to DoctrineDark for inspiring the shower scene in the chapter, I hope he will post all of his amazing writing on Fanfiction soon. And in case you're wondering, these add-on chapters won't just feature shameless smut and lemon (crazy, right?), they will also feature other aspects of the Creddie relationship and family with a lemon or two to sweeten the deal (well, sort of). The Soccer World Cup starts next weekend and I could not be more stoked if I tried. Now to start bugging my Dad to hurry up and pick up our tickets already : ) Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I really appreciate all the love. Snapplelinz out!**


	8. iOffice Party

**Hey, everyone! I hope you're all having a splendiforous (did I spell this right?) week. Since I can't really announce this anywhere else in advance, I've decided to post this new chapter onto FF a day early. And no, it's not because I've run out of bandwidth on my internet account (hee hee, I knew you were thinking it though). The truth is, I'm going through some personal stuff with my family right now and tomorrow's going to be an emotionally draining experience. So in all honesty, I'm not sure where my head will be come uploading time, and I didn't want to deprive you guys of reading the latest chapter. So here it is: read it and think of me...or mindsoap.**

***¡Warning! Strong language and explicit content all round in this chapter. If there are any kiddies out there, save yourselves. It's too late for me (sniggers)* **

**Disclaimer: I do not own iCarly. If I did, all the parents whose little kiddies watch my show would already be calling for my immediate dismissal because I've corrupted their little angels' innocent minds. Well, Dan Schneider hasn't been fired yet for doing the exact same thing, so maybe there's hope for me ; )**

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**27 April, 2028**

Freddie exited the elevators and was instantly greeted with dim lighting and the sounds of animated conversations amidst the blaring speakers hanging off of the walls. It was nearing 8pm and a few of his colleagues were already sporting goofy grins on their faces while drinking and dancing together. The last thing Freddie had wanted to do that evening was go to his company's office party, but Carly hadn't left him with much of a choice, given her erratic behaviour lately. He caught sight of Gibby and Shane standing together near the refreshments table; the look on their faces let Freddie further know that his night was just about to get worse.

"Freddie, where have you been?" Gibby demanded anxiously as Freddie approached them.

"Got stuck in traffic going home first. Carly's not there." Freddie explained rapidly while loosening his tie ever so slightly.

"We know; she's already here, and she looks pretty pissed off." Shane returned sardonically with a tilt of his head.

Freddie followed his gaze and groaned. Sure enough, Carly could be seen standing not too far from them, sporting a rather risqué mini neon-yellow dress with a zipper that went all the way down her front, chatting to one of Freddie's female colleagues and sipping on what looked like an iced tea. To the untrained eye, Carly looked perfectly composed, but Freddie knew better than that.

"Great. Why didn't you guys stop her?" Freddie demanded exasperatedly of his two best friends.

"You don't think we tried?" Gibby exclaimed in horror.

"She told me to go flog my log when I tried to stop her from talking to Eva." Shane pointed out indignantly.

With a sigh and a grim expression etched on his face, Freddie left Shane and Gibby's side and strolled cautiously towards his wife. She was chatting to a colleague of his named Eva, who had a habit of flirting with him during office hours, which Carly was well aware of.

"This is not good," Freddie lamented to himself when he finally joined in their conversation.

By the sounds of it, the conversation was about him. Knowing Carly, it wouldn't be long before she said or did something destructive and out of character.

"Carly," Freddie announced by way of greeting.

"Freddie, you made it! You do realise that the party started an hour ago, right? You could've just stayed after work." Eva pointed out by way of greeting with an intimate smile on her face.

"I went home first to see if Carly would be joining us tonight. But since you're already here, I guess that means you changed your mind." Freddie answered swiftly, his last sentence directed towards Carly.

Carly hadn't said anything since Freddie had interrupted her conversation with Eva. But her eyes had been locked on him all the while. Freddie couldn't help noting that it wasn't her usual look of happiness whenever she saw him, but a cold and calculating look, letting him know that whatever she was planning, she meant business.

"You know me, Freddie. I'm full of surprises." Carly answered coolly after what felt like the longest pause in the universe.

"Well I'm glad you decided to come, Carly. I'm always telling Freddie that he should bring you to our little work functions more often." Eva stated graciously while sipping on her glass of wine.

"I try to, but Carly's not a big fan of office parties." Freddie responded before he could stop himself.

"That's not true, Freddie. Sometimes I can't make it to your 'little work functions' because of my work schedule at the radio station. But that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy these little get-togethers. Office politics are just so fascinating; you never know what people are going to do next." Carly answered cryptically while sipping on her drink, her eyes boring into Freddie's.

"Oh, I know exactly what you mean. We've had a few office scandals over the years." Eva agreed readily.

"Eva, I'm sure Carly doesn't want to hear about any of that," Freddie interjected rapidly.

"Oh, but I do, Freddie. Eva was just about to tell me about that prank she pulled on Shane with the water tank." Carly answered sweetly, cutting Freddie off abruptly.

"_Almost pulled on Shane_. Freddie talked me out of it in the end. Freddie's just so sensitive; you're really lucky, Carly." Eva reasoned politely with a wide smile on her face.

"Aw, that's so sweet. I've always thought it was nice that you and Freddie have been able to cultivate such a healthy friendship during office hours. It's just such a shame that it might come to an end in the near future…" Carly stated, her voice dropping to a low and dramatic tone on the last part.

"Carly," Freddie muttered warningly before Eva could respond.

"What do you mean by that, Carly?" Eva asked worriedly, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Oh. You mean you don't know? I thought Freddie would've told you, being such good friends and all. Hmm, pity. It's just that the future is so uncertain and you never know where you might end up in life. One minute, Freddie could be working at this company; the next minute, somewhere else. And then you'll have to find someone else's husband to flirt with shamelessly." Carly answered good-naturedly, a malevolent smile etched on her face.

Before Eva could respond, Freddie had grabbed hold of Carly's arm and began leading her away from the crowd on the dance floor, leaving Eva staring and gaping in surprise after them.

"Freddie, take your hands off of me. Where are we going?" Carly hissed angrily, trying to shrug out of his firm grip.

"Somewhere quiet where no one can overhear us." Freddie replied in a tense voice.

They were now several hundred meters away from the party, having entered an office that was unlocked. Freddie didn't bother switching on the lights since the moon's rays were bathing the entire room in its light.

"Now that you're done man-handling me, I think I'll go home now." Carly stated fiercely as she made to exit the office.

"No, you're not going anywhere, Carly. Not until we've talked this out." Freddie returned heatedly, moving past her and shutting the door before she could leave.

"I've said everything I need to say to you on the subject." Carly snapped impatiently.

"Throwing a vase at my head doesn't qualify as a conversation." Freddie retorted coldly.

"Too bad I missed." Carly answered evilly.

"Dammit, Carly! Why are you deliberately going out your way to piss off my female colleagues?" Freddie demanded furiously.

"What? You don't like my attitude? You're always telling me that I need to loosen up." Carly responded facetiously with an idle flick of her hair.

"What's wrong with you? Have you been drinking?" Freddie questioned indignantly.

"No, I haven't been drinking, and I really resent the implication." Carly retorted in a scandalised tone, as if Freddie had just accused her of having an affair.

"Cut the crap, Carly. Just tell me what I've done to make you so mad at me." Freddie stated vehemently.

"You wanna talk? Alright, let's talk, Freddie. Let's start with you: 'Mr. Fucking Sensitive' in the flesh. Let's talk about how you've been lying to me for the past few weeks about all those secret meetings you've been having. Why don't we put Freddie Benson under the microscope and really expose him?" Carly shrieked violently.

"You shouldn't have been going through my phone messages." Freddie countered tersely.

"That's it? That's your perfect defence? I shouldn't have been going through your phone messages? Dammit, Freddie! How could you go behind my back and make such an important decision like this?" Carly demanded heatedly.

"I haven't made any decisions yet, Carly. Nothing's even set in stone." Freddie responded defensively.

"Bullshit. You wouldn't have gone to so many secret meetings if you were just going to say no in the end." Carly countered coldly.

"The only reason I went to all those meetings is because they've been calling me, not the other way around." Freddie stated loudly.

"So what? You think that somehow excuses your behaviour just because you didn't initiate those meetings? I'm your wife, Freddie, your wife. That means we make decisions together; that means you don't get to go off on your own and make life-altering decisions like changing jobs and moving our entire family to another state." Carly answered fiercely while jabbing Freddie in the chest with her index finger.

"I was _considering_ it." Freddie quipped crisply.

"You _considered _it without me. I moved across the country to be with you, Freddie! I quit my job and gave up my life in New York so that we could have a life together, here with Carly. She's at a good school and she's happy right where she is. And now, you wanna uproot us, just like that. And somewhere in-between having these special meetings of yours and seeing me every day, you couldn't find a single opportunity to have an open and honest conversation." Carly continued on bitterly.

"Well it's a mystery to me too that I can't have an open and honest conversation with you. You're so just so fucking easy to talk to." Freddie retorted callously.

"Don't you dare put this on me, Freddie Benson. You didn't even make the effort to try and talk to me about any of this." Carly snapped furiously.

"Why should I? You've already made up your mind about what it is that you think I've done. Who needs enemies when Carly Shay's disapproval is more than anyone can stomach? Get over yourself, this is nothing more than a botched ego trip for you. You just can't stand not being in the loop about anything." Freddie responded maliciously.

"You know what? I don't need this shit from you; I get plenty of that from my own co-workers. I just didn't expect my own husband to be so breezy about a decision that doesn't just affect him, but our entire family. I guess I was wrong." Carly concluded in a seething tone as she made to push past Freddie.

"Oh no you don't. You don't get to just walk away after you've had your say." Freddie retorted, grabbing hold of Carly's arm to stop her from leaving.

"Go to hell, Freddie. I can do whatever the fuck I want, especially if it means not having to deal with your sanctimonious bullshit." Carly shrieked angrily, shoving Freddie roughly away from her.

"Ah yes, the famous 'Carly Shay exit from the building' routine. If I'm so sanctimonious, then you must be a fucking saint." Freddie sneered venomously, his face inches away from Carly's.

"Fuck you, Freddie. What gives you the right to be such a dick?" Carly hissed furiously.

"Well it sure as hell beats running away every time things get a little too hot for you to handle," Freddie quipped malevolently.

Without thinking about it, Carly swung back her arm and slapped Freddie hard across the cheek, the sound reverberating across the tiny office like a thunder clap. Freddie stumbled backwards slightly from the force of Carly's action, then he clutched at his smarting cheek with an angry look in his eye.

"You bastard," Carly muttered coldly, her breathing ragged with her fierce panting.

"You bitch," Freddie returned callously, knowing this would incite Carly further.

Just as Carly made to hit Freddie again, Freddie caught her hand in mid-air and kept a good hold on it while they continued struggling together. Carly was trying desperately to claw at any part of Freddie's face in her current state of fury, her breathing coming out in short gasps in the midst of her blood boiling beneath her skin. They were gripping each other's hands and arms tightly as Carly put all of her weight and energy into dislodging Freddie's steely grip to throw him off balance. Then Freddie abruptly let go of Carly, causing her to stare at him in confusion while still positively radiating with anger.

Then before she could stop him, Freddie had moved back into her personal space and suddenly began attacking her lips furiously, his tongue slipping into her mouth all in one breath. At first, Carly tried to detach herself from Freddie's arms, which had slipped around her back while kissing her. But somewhere between her pulsing rage and defiant stubbornness, her body began succumbing to the feel of Freddie's possessive hands and lips on her body, causing her brain to melt into an incoherent swirl. Her hands moved up towards his hair and she yanked fiercely on the strands, causing him to yelp in pain while she kissed him back ferociously.

_You make me sick_

_I want you and I'm hatin' it_

_Got me lit like a candlestick_

_Get too hot when you touch the tip_

_I'm feelin' it_

_I gotta get a grip_

She gasped at the feel of Freddie shoving her against the desk behind them, scattering a few papers onto the ground caused by the sudden movement. Then Freddie picked her up swiftly and placed her in a sitting position on top of the desk, his lips never leaving hers once. Carly's arms moved around Freddie's neck as she continued kissing him furiously, nipping his bottom lip with her teeth as she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist. Freddie's lips had finally left hers and he now made his way downwards towards her neck, which he began sucking at hungrily, his hands kneading Carly's bare shoulders all the while. Carly moaned loudly at the slow friction that Freddie was creating with his hands and lips, causing her centre to pool with liquid desire.

_And it's driving me crazy, baby_

_Don't you quit?_

_Can't get enough of it_

_You got me goin' again_

_Baby, you got me goin' again_

_You make me sick_

"So a slap turns you on, huh?" Carly questioned demurely in spite of herself amidst her loud panting.

Freddie's lips finally left Carly's neck as he gazed back up at her once more.

"Amongst other things," he answered in a seedy tone while catching his breath.

"Figures," Carly quipped maliciously.

"Oh, so you wanna play that game? Okay, I admit it: you slapping me turned me on. What turns you on, Carly? My insults?" Freddie asked cleverly.

"You're gonna have to do way better than that to get me off." Carly taunted coyly.

"Really? What if I do this?" Freddie asked in a low murmur.

_He got closer to me_

_It started getting deep_

Carly gasped at the tingling sensation of Freddie's hands encircling her breasts through the thin fabric of her cocktail dress. He began massaging the peaks slowly and torturously, being sure to graze the taut nipples with a flick of his thumbs. Carly's mouth opened ever so slightly and she arched forward into Freddie's hands.

_He had me in a zone_

_When he started to show me things I never saw before_

"And what if I do this?" Freddie questioned tantalisingly as his hands crept lower over the fabric of Carly's dress till they were resting on her knees.

_Baby was smooth but I knew it was game_

_Hell-of-a-cool but you men are the same  
_

Carly shuddered as Freddie's hands moved further under her dress from there while he expertly massaged her supple thighs through her fishnet stockings, which were already clammy with beads of perspiration. Carly closed her eyes momentarily while enjoying the sensation of Freddie's fingers against her skin, forgetting for the moment that she was supposed to be angry at him. Her eyes shot wide open when his hand slipped underneath her dress altogether and ghosted across her panties, which were soaking wet.

_The way he licked his lips and touched my hips_

_I knew that he was slick_

"Oh, what do we have here? You must be turned on after all." Freddie murmured slyly with his famous smirk etched on his face beneath the moonlight.

"Are you going to talk all night, or are you going to fuck me, Benson?" Carly asked in a low voice wrought with need.

"I guess I have my answer then," Freddie quipped knowingly before Carly engulfed his lips in a searing kiss that took his breath away.

Freddie was all too aware of his throbbing erection that had been steadily increasing in the past few minutes, making his pants uncomfortably tight. And all of Carly's sexy banter was making him ache to be inside her all the more.

"This front zipper's just for show, right?" Freddie questioned in an off-hand way, referring to Carly's dress.

"Right." Carly confirmed while furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

"Good. Turn around," Freddie commanded briskly.

"Why?" Carly asked curiously.

"Because I'm about to fuck you, fast and hard." Freddie answered smoothly.

If it was possible, Carly felt herself become even wetter at Freddie's words, getting a secret thrill from his possessive and domineering stance. She obediently got off the desk and turned around so that she was now facing away from him, slipping quietly out of her stilettos. She felt his warm hands sliding across her back, then under her dress as he began dragging her underwear and her stockings down from her thighs till she stepped out of both. Carly bit her lip in anticipation, hearing the distinct sounds of Freddie unclasping his belt and unzipping his pants as it fell down with a loud swooshing sound till it pooled around his ankles.

_He told me he would make it worth it_

_Again, how many times have I heard this_

_Kinda funny, but I wasn't even nervous_

_Well his slick-ass lines were kinda working_

Then Freddie's hands had found their way back around Carly's waist, the edges of her dress bunched up in his fists as he finally entered her from behind. Carly sucked in a breath and gasped loudly at the sudden contact of Freddie's bulging erection pounding into her centre with relentless precision. Freddie's smooth and measured strokes were hitting her erogenous zones at a completely different angle from the usual; his movements were slanted, rougher and faster than she'd ever gotten from this position. Carly could only surmise that the residue of Freddie's remaining anger and frustration with her was fuelling his desire and ability to take her over the edge straight into blissful punishment. And if Carly was being perfectly honest with herself, she wasn't completely adverse to this side of Freddie, which she only got to see on rare occasions.

_I felt my knees get weak_

_His body was callin' me_

_Just couldn't take the heat_

While Freddie moved on an upwards stroke, Carly moved in sync with him, her hips aligning with his on a downwards stroke, their skin slick with sweat meeting together in a cataclysmic frenzy. Carly nearly went into full-on orgasmic mode when one of Freddie's hands left her waist and grabbed a fistful of her hair before tugging on it sharply, making her mewl with arousal. Freddie himself was having a hard time staying in control of the situation due to the sounds that Carly was making in front of him, which were going straight to his already engorged penis pumping in and out of her furiously with pulsing urgency. He wanted to make sure that she came well before he did, so he started talking to her.

"So what do you think? Are we still talking or are we fucking?" Freddie whispered through his ragged breathing without slowing down his pace.

"We were fucking, until you started talking again." Carly answered hoarsely, closing her eyes and biting her bottom lip to stop herself from screaming.

"Come off it, Carly. I know exactly why you start acting like a crazy bitch on certain occasions. It's not because you're really mad at me; you just do it to get me pissed off enough so that you'll get a good fuck out of me." Freddie continued smoothly while driving himself further into Carly's dripping core.

_Baby was cool but I knew it was game_

_Said he was too schooled to be screamin' my name_

"I think someone's getting a little 'cocky' right before they've made it to the finish line." Carly retorted coarsely while rubbing her breasts through the fabric of her dress.

"I don't need to make it to the finish line. All I have to do is make sure that you come first." Freddie teased smoothly, his teeth latching onto Carly's left ear and nibbling ever so slightly.

"So what are you waiting for? Less talking, more fucking." Carly challenged devilishly.

_You make me sick_

_I want you and I'm hatin' it_

_Got me lit like a candlestick_

_Get too hot when you touch the tip_

_I'm feelin' it_

_I gotta get a grip_

Freddie grinned slyly and did just that as he suddenly pushed Carly forward till she was practically hovering over the top of the desk while still inside of her. Then he began ramming into her forcefully, causing Carly's body to jerk forward with each thrust. Carly found herself leaning more over the desk, her back completely arched and her elbows angled out in front of her, her fingernails digging into the sides of the wood to steady herself from the onslaught of her approaching orgasm.

"Argh, Freddie!" Carly called out loudly from Freddie drilling into her repeatedly from behind.

"How 'bout it, Carly? Are you through yet?" Freddie demanded painstakingly as he felt his release following right behind Carly's now.

_And it's driving me crazy, baby_

_Don't you quit?_

_Can't get enough of it_

_You got me goin' again_

_Baby, you got me goin' again_

_You make me sick_

Carly couldn't even formulate coherent words at this point as her body began writhing and shuddering of its own accord. Her inner walls were starting to contract all around Freddie's erection and she was getting lost in the sensation of him filling her up. But instead of keeping her against the desk, Freddie surprised Carly by bringing her backwards once more till she was flush against his chest, their hips rolling together harmoniously. Freddie's hands were her in her hair now, his breath coming out in tiny wisps against her cheek while whispering soothing words into her ear now.

"How's that? Are you okay?" Freddie asked in a concerned tone, his lips trailing along the side of Carly's neck.

"Uh-huh. Oh God, Freddie. I need…" Carly moaned, unable to find the right words as her eyes began rolling in their sockets.

"It's okay, just let it go. Come with me, Carly. I'm right here." Freddie chided softly.

Something about the painstaking sincerity of Freddie's words sent Carly over the edge in a way that she couldn't have imagined. Freddie was holding her close all the while, as both their orgasms ruptured through their bodies, causing Carly to arch fiercely into Freddie's chest, her mouth agape in a silent scream. And then she slumped forward over the desk once more, her entire body spent with exhaustion and desire. Freddie pumped into her a few more times before his hips finally ceased their movement altogether. He leant gently against Carly's back, entwining his hands with hers as he brought her back up towards him so that she could rest against his chest, his fingers running tenderly through her tendrils of hair, which was moist with perspiration.

When their breathing had finally calmed down, Carly bent her head forward, listening intently to both their erratic heartbeats pulsing through the solitary office. Freddie let her go a few seconds later and pulled up his boxers and pants while fastening his belt once more. Carly bent over to retrieve her underwear and fishnet stockings a few inches away from Freddie and gently slipped them back on as well as her high heels. In spite of what had just happened, there was still an air of tension hanging tightly about them that made Carly uncomfortable.

"Looks like we both made it to the finish line." She joked lightly with a wry smile.

She glanced over at Freddie, who wasn't smiling, but staring off pensively into space.

"Freddie?" Carly asked tentatively, coming towards him slowly.

She frowned in surprise when Freddie finally turned to look at her, looking strangely forlorn.

"I wasn't going to take the job." He stated after a long pause.

Carly didn't say anything in response, but waited for Freddie to continue.

"The only reason I didn't tell you is because I wanted to protect you, and Carly. But also, I guess I was afraid that if I did tell you, maybe you might want to go back to New York." Freddie elaborated seriously.

"Freddie-" Carly began before Freddie interrupted her.

"Just hear me out for a second, Carly. You're absolutely right; you did give up everything to be with me and Carly, for the three of us to be a family. I'm perfectly happy where I am right now: with where we live, with my job, with you. But you had a life in New York before I came back into it, Carly: you had a great job, good friends and…a fiancé that loved you. Sometimes I do regret taking that away from you." Freddie interjected morosely.

He then switched on the light in the office and began picking up the papers and stationery that he and Carly had knocked off the desk.

"You think that's why I was mad at you, Freddie? You honestly think that you took me away from a perfect life I used to lead in New York? Some people would think it was perfect, but not for me. Yeah, sure, I admit it, it was pretty great living in New York. But it's not the life I would've chosen for myself overall. I wasn't truly happy with how I was living my life, until you came back into it. When are you going to get it through your head? I love you, Freddie, and I chose you. I never thought of it as choosing San Francisco over New York; for me, it was choosing happiness after almost a lifetime of loneliness, and you're the reason for that, for all of it. I don't care about where we live, as long as we're together. What hurt the most about all of this was feeling like you didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth. You've always been honest with me, even with the little things. Why was this time any different?" Carly asked despondently.

She instinctively began helping Freddie clean up the mess as she picked up a lone stapler from the floor and placed it back on the desk where she thought it was supposed to go.

"I was just trying to deal with it on my own without Mr. Prewitt or any of the board of directors finding out about their competition trying to poach me away from them. If they knew that I'd been having any meetings with them, even meetings to tell them I wasn't interested in the job, Mr. Prewitt would've flipped his noodle. He would've seen it as high treason and not being a team player, which could've gotten me fired. And when I saw you talking to Eva earlier-"

"Oh my God, Freddie. I'm so sorry, I didn't know. I was just so angry with you after our last argument that I wanted to get back at you. And of course talking to Eva, knowing how much she likes you, made me a little…crazy. I was a bitch to her, wasn't I?" Carly asked sheepishly.

"Yeah, you were." Freddie offered, a broad smile on his face for the first time all night.

"I was an even bigger bitch to you. Can you ever forgive me, Freddie?" Carly asked nervously, coming to stand in front of her husband.

"Only if you can forgive me for being 'Mr. Fucking Sensitive'." Freddie returned with a wry smile on his face.

Carly then wrapped her arms around Freddie's neck and kissed him gently. As she cupped his face, Freddie frowned when she stiffened in his arms.

"What's wrong?" Freddie asked in concern.

"Your cheek. Doesn't it still…hurt?" Carly asked hesitantly.

"Not really. I kinda forgot about it during…you know." Freddie offered sheepishly.

"I'm so sorry I hit you. I don't know what came over me." Carly apologised meekly.

"It's okay, Carly. I hit pretty below the belt with what I said earlier. You have to know that I don't really feel that way about talking to you. You're my go-to person in everything. I messed up on this one." Freddie apologised sincerely.

"That still didn't give me the right to flip out the way I did. Lately, I just feel like my emotions have been all over the place, like I haven't been myself." Carly stated apologetically.

"Why? What's been going on with you?" Freddie asked anxiously, resting his hands on Carly's shoulders.

"It's not a big deal. I guess I've just been anxious because my period hasn't come yet this month. And I always get really crabby and bitchy when it's late." Carly admitted in a nonplussed tone.

"Well, I'm really sorry that I haven't been as attentive as I should be. And…about the uh, angry sex we just had…" Freddie trailed off abashedly while running a hand through his hair as he glanced around the office.

"That's one thing you don't have to apologise for. I kinda liked it." Carly responded coyly, her hands running suggestively along the plane of Freddie's forearm.

"Seriously?" Freddie asked in disbelief.

"Freddie, were you not just in the same room with me? But in case you were wondering, I was really enjoying myself. I can't remember the last time I came so hard in such a short amount of time. I think we should try that position more often." Carly answered seductively while hugging Freddie closely and breathing in his cologne.

"Well, I'm always up for 'new positions'. But I still feel guilty for distracting you with sex, especially while we were fighting. It just kinda happened." Freddie continued dejectedly while holding Carly close.

"Freddie, it's okay. I'm not mad at you; I'm glad, actually. Considering how volatile the situation was, sex was probably the best solution to diffuse all the crazy." Carly offered reasonably.

"I guess I've just missed you lately." Freddie returned truthfully while glancing down at Carly.

Carly gazed back at Freddie and stared at him in wonder.

"Oh, Freddie. I've missed you too. But next time, just talk to me." Carly advised softly.

"Okay." Freddie promised sincerely before planting a small kiss on Carly's lips.

"I still feel really bad about being so mean to Eva. Maybe I should go back out there and apologise to her." Carly stated as an afterthought while bending down to retrieve a paper weight that had fallen onto the floor.

As Carly placed it back on top of the desk, Freddie's eyes widened in horror, recognising the object instantly. Carly frowned at the look on Freddie's face.

"What's wrong, Freddie?" Carly asked in surprise.

"That's Eva's paper weight." Freddie replied in a high-pitched voice.

"Eva's paper weight? But how did it get in – NO!" Carly exclaimed in horror, comprehension dawning on her as she twirled on the spot while gazing at their surroundings.

"Oh my God! Freddie, please tell me that we didn't just have sex in Eva's office!" Carly fumed in alarm.

Freddie's sheepish chuckle caused Carly's eyes to widen and she clasped her head in her hands with shame.

"Oh God, this is so bad! I just insulted the woman even more by christening her office stationery and what looks like a hefty report. Why the hell are you laughing?" Carly demanded hysterically when she realised that Freddie was practically doubled over with laughter.

"Come on, Carly. You have to see the humour of it. Eva flirted with me, so you got your…revenge." Freddie snorted while tittering loudly.

"Freddie, this is so not funny. We have to make this up to her – get her a fruit basket or something." Carly protested frantically.

But the sight of Freddie laughing even harder at her suggestion caused Carly to begin laughing hysterically. She joined Freddie, who was sitting perched up against Eva's desk on the carpet, clutching his stomach painstakingly and laughing his head off till tears began forming in his eyes. Carly bowed her head and continued laughing uproariously until her stomach hurt. When they had finally calmed down sufficiently, Freddie turned to face his wife once more.

"Boy, are we on a roll tonight." Freddie offered lightly with a small smile on his face.

"We sure are. At least we acted like complete idiots together." Carly returned, matching his tone.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Freddie stated sincerely.

Carly's face became serious at his words; she then tilted her head towards his and kissed him gently on the lips. Freddie returned her kisses exuberantly, his hands finding their way back into her hair once more as he held her close. Carly kissed Freddie on the lips a few more times, her nose grazing his while she cupped his cheeks and closed her eyes.

"I love you so much," she whispered softly.

"I love you too." Freddie answered, his breath tickling her cheeks ever so slightly.

"I'm so sorry about everything." Carly murmured genuinely.

"I'm sorry too. Let's just promise to always talk to each other whenever there's a potentially important decision to be made from here on out." Freddie suggested lightly.

"Promise. We should probably head back to the party before we do any more damage. Then I can find Eva and apologise." Carly concluded as she got to her feet.

"That can wait till another time. Right now, I wanna take you home and do unspeakable things to you." Freddie murmured mischievously, lacing their hands together and kissing her knuckle gently.

"Hmm, sounds promising. Do you think we could grab something to eat on the way home first though?" Carly asked hopefully.

"Sure. What are you in the mood for? Some sweet and sour chicken?" Freddie suggested curiously.

He frowned at the look of nausea that was currently etched on Carly's face.

"What's up?" he asked laughingly.

"No offence, but do you think we could skip chicken tonight?" Carly asked uncomfortably.

"Why? You love sweet and sour chicken." Freddie pointed out knowingly.

"I know. But lately, I haven't been able to eat any chicken because the thought alone makes me wanna hurl. Do you think we could get something vegetarian just to be on the safe side?" Carly asked nervously.

"Sure, sweetheart. What's going on? Have you gotten food poisoning or something?" Freddie asked as he and Carly exited Eva's office and switched off the light.

"I hope not. Maybe I've just been working too hard lately." Carly reasoned casually as she shut Eva's office door quietly.

"Well, not to worry. Because I'm going to pamper you when we get home." Freddie responded kindly while kissing Carly's forehead gently.

"Aw, you're so sweet, Freddie. What would I do without you?" Carly asked sweetly.

"Hmm, you got me." Freddie teased, causing Carly to chuckle softly.

"I still feel kinda bad about Eva and now her office too. Maybe I can do something nice for her." Carly added meekly.

"Tell you what. I'll call in a cleaning crew tomorrow and surprise Eva by offering to let them clean up her office for her. That way, they can get rid of any stains." Freddie teased slyly, causing Carly to groan loudly as they slipped past the raucous party on their way to the elevators.

"Oh my God. Freddie, that is so disgusting." Carly complained dramatically while pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Not disgusting. _Dirty_." Freddie amended saucily.

Carly shook her head at her husband and grinned devilishly as the elevator doors closed on them.

* * *

**Musical References:**

**1) "You Make Me Sick" by Pink**

**

* * *

Alright I confess, all this Creddie action has made me go over to the Dark Side. The Dark Kinky Side, that is ; ) Granted, this was well out of the norm for the usual sweet and sensual Creddie lemons, but I hope it didn't disappoint. I hope the sex scene didn't offend anyone out there, that's why I put up the warning just in case anyone wants to egg me afterwards. Someone's already asked me in a review whether the lemons in this story have a point to them or whether they're just shameless randomised fun (my words, not theirs). While I confess that some of them are (because I have nothing better to do with my time), there is one lemon in particular that is pivotal to the development of the Creddie relationship and family. Can anyone guess which one it was? And the million dollar question before I sign off: why is Carly suddenly put off by chicken? Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions (even ones not pertaining to the story, but about my own personal sanity if you're curious enough). Thanks for reading and reviewing this story, you're all wonderful and beautiful people. Snapplelinz out!  
**


	9. iGo To The Hospital Part I

**Author's Note: Hey, everybody! I hope you're all having an awesome week, taking in a few World Cup games along the way ; ) First off, I'd like to say a big thank to you to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. I think that chapter's received the most reviews, so thank you for looking past my exceptionally dirty mind and giving me some much needed feedback. I've decided to release two chapters this week because they follow after each other discussing the Creddie pregnancy. Take it away, Ernie, it's going to be a bumpy ride!**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own iCarly, except in my dreams : )  
**

* * *

**8 November, 2028**

_**San Francisco – Golden Gate Park  
**_

"Carly, what are you staring at?"

"Your ice-cream sundae."

"What's wrong with my ice-cream sundae?"

"You're not going to eat that, are you?"

"What else do you expect me to do with it?"

"Throw it away."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because it's covered in pickles, ketchup and French fries."

Carly gazed down at her step-daughter and grinned knowingly as they sat in the park together eating ice-cream sundaes of their own preference that Wednesday afternoon. She couldn't argue with her younger counterpart on some level; what she was attempting to eat broke many a normal convention. But she couldn't help it in the least. Being pregnant was the reason for Carly's very strange diet. And she had reached her final trimester, the baby due to be born in the next few weeks. After picking Carly Marissa up from school for the day, Carly had suggested getting delicious sundaes and enjoying them in the park together. Little Carly had been enthusiastic about the idea until they had sat down on a park bench with their sundaes and her step-mom had begun decorating the ice-cream with condiments that should never be mixed together in a dessert.

"I can't help it, Carly. It's so good. Here, try some." Carly offered teasingly while holding the ice-cream sundae in front of Carly Marissa's face.

"Thanks, but I'll pass." Carly Marissa replied frankly.

"Suit yourself." Carly offered with a shrug before tucking into her ice-cream sundae vigorously.

It was all Little Carly could do not to retch on the spot at the small trail of pickle juice which had meshed with the melting vanilla ice-cream. No matter what her Dad said about babies being little tiny miracles, she wouldn't be getting pregnant any time soon if she could help it. Especially if it meant that she'd be adding pickles to a perfectly good sundae comprised of vanilla ice-cream, melted hot chocolate fudge sauce, macadamia nuts and multi-coloured sprinkles. And then there was the fact that Carly had gained an abnormal amount of weight in a matter of months. Little Carly idly wondered whether the doctor had gotten the right diagnosis; maybe there was more than one baby inside of Carly, which had caused her to balloon to about a third of a blimp's size.

Carly glanced at the expression of revulsion on her younger counterpart's face and grinned ever so slightly. But the smile vanished almost instantly when she experienced a sharp spasm near her navel, causing her to gasp loudly.

"Mom, are you okay?" Carly Marissa asked in alarm, watching the clear signs of discomfort etched on her older counterpart's face.

"Yeah, honey, I'm fine. I just got a little cramp in my stomach." Carly responded lightly, trying to play off the sudden pain.

"Is it the baby?" little Carly asked curiously.

"It sure is. Wow, she's really kicking today." Carly marvelled in awe while gazing down at her belly.

"Maybe we should go home so you can lie down." Little Carly advised worriedly.

"I think that's a good idea, Carly-Bear. Let me just get my car keys out of my purse." Carly agreed readily as she got to her feet.

That's when another agonizing spasm shot through Carly's torso, causing her to lurch forward as she gripped her bulging stomach painstakingly while gritting her teeth to prevent a piercing scream from escaping her lips. The sundae slipped out of her other hand and fell onto the grass beneath her, the french fries and chocolate sauce splattering all over her shoes.

"Mom!" Carly Marissa shrieked as she moved towards Carly to help her.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I just need to – aaaargh!" Carly cried out unexpectedly, another wave of pain rippling through her body, the agony almost paralysing.

By this time, the tiny of crowd of people who were currently situated in the park along with the two Carly's immediately began milling anxiously around them, noticing Carly's pale features.

"Ma'am, are you alright?" a man who had been reading his newspaper seconds ago asked worriedly of Carly after running towards them.

"My mom's pregnant." Carly Marissa explained rapidly, her entire face contorted with anxiety and fear.

Two able-bodied men managed to take hold of Carly's arms as gently as possible as they led her to a park bench so that she would be more comfortable than in her current position.

"Carly-Bear, we need to get to the hospital. The baby's coming," Carly answered through gritted teeth, her entire body racked with unbearable pain.

"Someone call 911!" another woman in the vicinity called out sharply to anyone with a cellphone in their possession.

Little Carly clasped a hand over her mouth and began crying steadily, feeling utterly helpless.

"Carly-Bear, look at me. Everything's going to be okay." Carly stated reassuringly with some difficulty as she grasped her daughter's hand tightly in her own.

Little Carly glanced back at her mom and nodded through her tears. After one of the bystanders made the call, an ambulance arrived in the vicinity within minutes. Two paramedics exited the vehicle and ran towards the throng of people while pushing a gurney between them.

"Somebody call 911?" one of the paramedics asked hurriedly.

"Over here, we've got a pregnant woman over here. Her water might've broken." The man with the newspaper explained quickly while leading them towards Carly, who was breathing irregularly with rasps and grunts.

"Ma'am, can you hear me? What's your name?" the other paramedic asked calmly of Carly while leaning over her.

"Carly Benson." Carly responded with some difficulty.

"Okay, Mrs Benson, everything's going to be alright. How far apart are your contractions?" the first paramedic asked in a professional manner.

"About a minute, maybe two minutes apart." Carly replied through shallow breaths.

"The baby's early, it's not supposed to be due for another three weeks." She added anxiously, her eyes dilated with fear.

The two paramedics glanced at each other momentarily before responding.

"Okay, Mrs. Benson, we're gonna take you to San Francisco General right away. Is there anyone we can contact for you? Any family members or friends?" the second paramedic questioned rapidly.

"My husband…and my mother-in-law." Carly answered slowly.

"It's okay, Mom. I'll call Grandma; she'll be able to get hold of Dad." Carly Marissa interjected as she grabbed Carly's cellphone from her purse and began dialling Marissa's number.

"Alright, let's get you into the back of the van." The second paramedic suggested gently as he and the first paramedic helped Carly onto the gurney.

"Come on, kiddo. You can ride with your mom in the back." The first paramedic advised kindly as he took hold of little Carly's hand while his partner pushed Carly towards the ambulance.

By the time both Carly's were bundled up inside the ambulance with the first paramedic, the second paramedic had gotten behind the wheel and begun driving towards the hospital.

"Don't worry, Mom. Everything's going to be okay." Little Carly stated warmly as she grabbed Carly's hand once more.

Carly glanced up at her younger counterpart and smiled broadly in spite of her excessive pain.

"Thanks, Carly-Bear." She returned sincerely as they travelled along.

* * *

_**San Francisco – Ghirardelli Square  
**_

Marissa almost hadn't heard her cellphone ringing shrilly in her apartment. To think she had just moved from her one-bedroom apartment in Fisherman's Wharf months ago into to her husband James' condo after they had gotten married was still very much a novel idea for her. She had just returned from taking the trash out to the disposal unit in the building and began jogging to her purse before answering her cellphone.

Her eyes lit up instantly when she heard her granddaughter's voice on the other end, chattering away at a rapid pace. But then her eyes widened in horror when she realised what little Carly was saying to her.

"What?" she exclaimed in horror, feeling a desperate desire to collapse to the floor.

"Okay, honey, calm down. Everything's going to be okay. Just sit tight, I'm coming to the hospital right now. I'll call your Dad on my way over there. I love you." Marissa responded quickly before snapping her cellphone shut.

She grabbed her purse and sprinted towards the front door, locking it hurriedly and dialling Freddie's work number as she jogged towards the fire escape.

"Come on, Freddie. Please pick up," Marissa chided over and over again as she raced down the stairs, two steps at a time.

* * *

_**San Francisco – The Financial District  
**_

Freddie was having a lousy day. He hadn't gotten any work done and was taking his bad mood out on anyone who happened to cross his path. But it wasn't just his workload that was causing his ill-temper; he couldn't shake a nagging feeling all morning long that something was wrong. Naturally, he had called Carly around noon and found out that she had plans to take Carly for some ice-cream in the park after school. So why, then, did he still feel uneasy?

He was still preoccupied when he entered a big company boardroom meeting just after 3pm. He was barely listening to anything that his boss, Mr. Prewitt, was droning on about at the front of the massive glass table, Gibby and Shane shooting him furtive looks of confusion and concern all the while. Everyone glanced up from the reports in front of them when they suddenly heard someone knocking softly on the conference room door. To Freddie's surprise, his secretary, Amanda, entered the board room, looking both abashed and nervous.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt, but I have a message for Mr. Benson." Amanda began hesitantly.

"Ms. Walker, we're in the middle of an important meeting-"

"Yes, I know, Mr. Prewitt, and once again, I'm terribly sorry. But it's about Mrs Benson." Amanda interjected as politely as possible.

"Mrs Benson? My mom or my wife?" Freddie asked sharply, rising to his feet.

"Your wife, Mr. Benson."

"My wife? What's wrong with my wife?" Freddie demanded in alarm.

"She's gone into early labour." Amanda informed him anxiously.

"What?" Gibby, Shane and Freddie yelled in unison.

"Early labour? But the baby's not due for 3 more weeks! Where is she?" Freddie questioned in horror.

"At San Francisco General. Your mom's already on her way over there; she told me to tell you that your daughter's with your wife." Amanda explained rapidly.

"Go, Freddie! You need to be with your wife at the hospital!" Mr. Prewitt exclaimed excitably, waving Freddie off towards the door.

"Thank you, Mr. Prewitt!" Freddie responded as he sprinted out of the door.

"Please give her our best wishes!" Mr. Prewitt called out after him before facing the rest of his employees.

Just as Mr. Prewitt was about to go back to his presentation, he caught sight of Gibby and Shane's shell-shocked expressions and groaned wearily.

"It just wouldn't be the three stooges without Freddie's two wingmen. You head to the hospital too," Mr. Prewitt offered resignedly.

"Thanks, Mr. Prewitt!" Shane exclaimed graciously as he grabbed his jacket placed over his chair.

"You're the best boss ever!" Gibby called out exuberantly as the two of them raced out of the board room too.

Mr. Prewitt winced as the door slammed on it hinges and sighed loudly.

"Alright, show's over. Let's get back to the annual budget." He announced gravely.

* * *

_**San Francisco - San Francisco General Hospital**_

Lady Luck seemed to be shining on Freddie while he broke every speeding rule known to man in his haste to get to San Francisco General. How he had managed to drive at all was anyone's guess; his heart was hammering wildly in his chest and his head was spinning. All he could think about was getting to Carly's side as quickly as possible. How was she already in labour? The baby wasn't supposed to come till the end of the month. Now he knew why he'd been feeling strange all day, like something bad was going to happen. Carly and the baby had to be okay, they just had to be.

_Put me on a ship that is sinking_

_On a voyage to an untamed land_

_Take away the freedoms I wanted _

_I understand_

He came to a startling halt in front of the main entrance, not caring that he hadn't actually parked his car in a designated parking space. He got out of the driver's seat and slammed the door shut before locking it and sprinting through the glass doors. Even though he had just enquired about where his wife was and the receptionist had given him instructions on how to get to his destination, Freddie was too distracted to pay any proper attention to her words. Which is why it wasn't surprising in the least when he got into the elevator and got out again, going in the opposite direction towards the hospital rooms in the maternity ward where new mothers usually went after first heading to the delivery room to have their babies.

Freddie began staggering slightly as he haphazardly tried to remember where he was going. Why couldn't he remember what the receptionist had just told him a minute ago? He had to find his wife and daughter; that was all he knew for now. He couldn't shake yet another nagging feeling enveloping his body as he stared at his surroundings. Why did this hallway look so familiar?

That's when it hit him. He had been down this hallway before on numerous occasions. With a sinking sensation in his chest, Freddie came to stand in front of the place where his world had come crashing down a lifetime ago. It was Sam's old room, the place where she had held their daughter in her arms for three weeks, the place where he had held Sam tightly before she had died in his arms.

_Please don't take your love away from me_

_Don't take your love away from_

_Please don't take your love away_

_From me_

Before he could stop himself, Freddie had entered the room, his heart beating even more loudly in his chest. Luckily, the room was vacant, otherwise anyone present would've been startled by the look in his eye. Everything still looked the same: the floor, the bed, the curtain surrounding the bed, the nightstand. How was it possible for everything to still be the same when he had lost his wife in this very room? Freddie wasn't even aware that he had collapsed onto his knees, his head clutched in his hands as he remembered the moments which led up to that fateful day:

_Put me inside flesh that is dying_

_A ghost that wanders without rest_

_Buried by desires and weakness_

_I understand_

"_Oh my God, this hurts so much!" Sam screamed out harshly in a voice racked with pain. _

"_I know, baby, I know. But you have to keep pushing. Think of our little girl, who's gonna be with us soon." Freddie chided soothingly while gripping Sam's hand tightly in his. _

"_I can't, it hurts too much," Sam choked, tears falling from her eyes and running down her cheeks, which were damp with sweat. _

"_Sam, you're so close. Just a few more centimetres and the baby will be out." Dr. Harris informed both her and Freddie while she stood at the ready in-between Sam's legs. _

"_Did you hear that, Sam? The baby's almost out. We're gonna be parents soon." Freddie stated hoarsely, fighting the urge to break down crying right then and there at the thought. _

"_We're gonna be parents," Sam whispered back, smiling fiercely as she reflected on what may very well be the happiest day of her life as she glanced up at her husband. _

_Their happy moment was interrupted abruptly by the sound of a shrill beeping sound which appeared to be coming from Sam's monitor beside the bed. Sam choked and gasped ever so slightly; Freddie gaped in horror at her nose, which had begun bleeding profusely. _

_At the end of the world_

_Or the last thing I see_

_You are never coming home_

_Never coming home_

_Could I?_

_Should I?_

"_Dammit!" Dr. Harris cursed in alarm while glancing down between Sam's legs. _

"_What's going on?" Freddie demanded in shock. _

"_What's happening? Is the baby okay?" Sam cried out fearfully. _

"_She's haemorrhaging! I think it may be a uterine rupture!" Dr. Harris exclaimed loudly to a nurse standing nearby. _

"_Uterine rupture? What does that mean?" Freddie asked blankly. _

"_There's a tear in the uterus, possibly along the myometrial wall. We need to repair the damage right away before the blood reaches her internal organs." Dr. Harris exclaimed tersely. _

"_What about the baby?" Sam asked weakly. _

"_We're going to do everything we can for you and your baby, Sam. I promise you that." Dr. Harris answered with a kind smile on her face. _

_The monitor was going haywire, showing large spikes across the screen. Freddie watched in horror as Sam began growing paler with each tension-filled second amidst her hoarse breathing. _

_And all the things that you never ever told me_

_And all the smiles that ever gonna haunt me_

_Never coming home, never coming home_

_Could I?_

_Should I?_

"_Sam, honey, can you hear me? Dr. Harris, what's happening?" Freddie screamed out loud._

"_She's crashing!" one of the male doctors named Dr. Campbell exclaimed sharply. _

_"Both their vitals are dropping rapidly!" another nurse called out frantically while observing the monitor for Sam and the baby. _

"_Dammit! She's going into hypovolemic shock! Time to put those packs of blood we've had on ice to good use. Sam, you need to stop pushing now. We're gonna have to perform a C-section to get the baby out right now." Dr. Harris advised rapidly. _

"_A C-section? Is that safe?" Freddie questioned anxiously. _

"_It's the only way to save both Sam and the baby's life. Dr. Campbell, I need you to start repairing the damage done to her uterus while I work on getting the baby out. Get me dosages of Dopamine and Noradrenaline now!" Dr. Harris barked at a nurse and an attending standing nearby. _

"_There's no time for any more anesthetics! I need to make the incision now! Sam, I need you to hang in there. This is going to hurt." Dr. Harris warned gravely. _

_Freddie winced inwardly as Sam's steely grip on his hand increased, threatening to crush the bones in his fingers. After one of the nurses had finished swabbed the area on Sam's swollen bellybutton, Dr. Harris positioned the gleaming scalpel in her hand at the ready. It was all Freddie could do not to look at the thin line of red across Sam's stomach as she began shrieking manically in his ears._

_And all the things that are ever gonna scar me_

_For all the ghosts that are ever gonna catch me_

"_Oh God, this hurts! Freddie, make it stop!"_

"_Freddie!" _

"_FREDDIE!"_

"Freddie?"

Freddie was jolted out his reverie as if someone had just doused him in ice water. He glanced down and realised that he was on all fours on the floor, sweating profusely and shaking all over. When he finally chanced a gaze at the person who had called out to him, he was surprised to find out who it was. It was his mother's husband and his somewhat step-father, James, standing in the doorway to the hospital room, looking down at Freddie with a worried expression on his face.

"Freddie, are you okay?" James questioned anxiously, his face pale under the dim light in the room.

"James, what are you doing here?" Freddie asked curiously, willing himself to calm his emotions.

"Looking for you. I was just about to go down to the main entrance to see if you had arrived yet." James explained patiently.

_Ever get the feeling that you're never_

_All alone_

"I got here about 10 minutes ago. I-I-I got lost and uh, ended up here I guess." Freddie stammered while gesturing half-heartedly around the small room.

"Freddie, the doctors have just taken Carly into the delivery room. We need to go." James advised hurriedly.

"I can't go in there. I can't watch the doctors try to fix yet another dangerous pregnancy before Carly slips away from me." Freddie responded weakly.

"Freddie, this situation is completely different from what happened with your first wife, Sam." James attempted cautiously.

"How the hell would you know?" Freddie exploded abruptly, anger pronounced in every single syllable as he turned to face James.

"You weren't there! You didn't watch as the doctors repaired the tear in Sam's uterus, only to find out later that the bleeding reached her internal organs anyway. I saw it happen with my own eyes; I watched as my wife slipped away slowly before she died in my arms. The baby wasn't supposed to come now! This wasn't supposed to happen, just like Sam wasn't supposed to die after giving birth to Carly! Don't tell me that the current situation is any different." Freddie seethed while gritting his teeth to steady his erratic breathing.

_And I remember now_

_At the top of my lungs in my arms_

_She died_

_She died_

"Freddie, I need you to listen to me. I know that you're scared to watch someone else you love die right in front of you. But staying here and not facing what's happening isn't going to help either. Your wife needs you right now, and so does your baby. I was just like you 6 years ago when the doctors diagnosed my first wife with ovarian cancer. I was scared and hopeless. For the first time in my career, I resented being a doctor because there was nothing I could do to save her. But I had to put that aside because she needed me, even till the very end. So when it was time to say goodbye, I kissed her, held her hand the entire time and told her that I loved her and that everything was going to be okay. No matter what happens, you have to reassure Carly of that. She has to know that she's not alone in this." James chided seriously.

"I don't know if I can do that," Freddie confessed morosely, a tear escaping his eye.

"Yes you can, Freddie. You're a lot stronger than what you give yourself credit. No matter what happens today, you'll get through it. But you can't know the answer to your questions unless you're prepared to face life as it happens." James refuted optimistically, a broad smile on his face as he placed his hands on Freddie's shoulders.

Something about the older man's gesture made Freddie unwittingly think back on a dream he had of Sam three years ago when she had transported him back to this very room while he was still grappling with the idea of falling in love with Carly:

_Monday on the line_

_When you feel that now's the time_

_To leave and be free_

_Aware of your destiny_

"_It's okay, Freddie. You don't have to fear this place anymore…" Sam cooed softly._

_Freddie obediently got under the covers of the hospital bed, which felt soft and silky to the touch. He stretched himself out and let his head rest against the fluffy pillow beneath him while Sam stood above him, smiling broadly as she gently stroked his forehead with her fingers…_

_When that moment arrives_

_World visions through the mind_

_And all I see is what used to be_

_My life consumed by a memory_

Without thinking about it, Freddie hugged his mother's husband, the weight of his emotions and fear draining his body of energy. James hugged him back, patting his head soothingly while whispering words of encouragement in his ear. Freddie couldn't help thinking in that moment that James' words and actions were an innately fatherly thing to do, something Freddie hadn't experienced in a long time, if ever. The thought comforted him immensely when he finally chanced another look at the hospital room after disentangling himself from James.

_I don't ever wanna feel pain_

_Wanna be ready when you call my name_

"You okay?" James questioned softly.

"Yeah, I think so. Sorry." Freddie mumbled awkwardly, ashamed of his outburst a minute ago.

"It's alright. I get that all the time from my patients," James teased lightly, causing Freddie to chuckle softly.

"Come on, I'll take you to your wife and your baby." He offered warmly.

_I don't ever wanna feel fear_

'_Cause every night feels alright_

_When you're near_

Freddie allowed the older man to place a comforting hand on his shoulder and lead him out of the hospital room, neither of them looking back. It seemed to take an eternity to walk into the elevator once more and get off at the right floor. Freddie's heart soared in his chest when he caught sight of his daughter sitting in-between Gibby and Shane on a sofa in the waiting room outside the delivery room. Carly Marissa's worried eyes lit up when she saw her father and James coming towards them.

_Battle through this war of nerves_

_When your life takes a turn_

"Daddy!" she cried out happily, bounding towards him and throwing her arms around his waist.

"Carly-Bear! Are you okay?" Freddie asked concernedly.

"I'm better, now that you're here." Carly Marissa whispered sincerely.

"Everything's going to be okay." Freddie promised consolingly while he continued hugging his daughter.

"Freddie, where the hell have you been? We left 5 minutes after you did and we still got here first!" Gibby exclaimed impatiently.

"I got a little lost finding my way up here. James came to get me." Freddie explained as nonchalantly as possible, not wanting to revisit his meltdown in Sam's old hospital room.

_What I have is what I feel_

_In my mind, you're lying here_

"Where's my mom?" he asked unexpectedly when he realised that Marissa was no where in the vicinity.

"She's in the delivery room with Carly." Shane informed him stoically.

"Oh. I'm surprised you didn't go in there, being a doctor and everything." Freddie remarked in surprise while addressing James.

"I offered to go downstairs to make sure you knew where to come. Besides, I thought it would be best if your mother went in there with Carly to try and keep her calm while we waited for you." James answered reasonably.

"Thank you, James. I really appreciate everything you've done so far. I guess I'd better get in there." Freddie stated nervously.

"It's gonna be okay, Freddie. We'll be here." Gibby replied sincerely.

"Good luck!" Shane called out with an optimistic smile on his face.

"Thanks, guys. I love you, Carly-Bear." Freddie greeted affectionately.

"Love you too, Daddy." Carly Marissa called out as James led Freddie away to help him change into some sanitary clothing to enter the delivery room.

After Freddie had washed his hands thoroughly with sterilized soap, he changed into the green-coloured doctors' scrubs and mask and stepped back into the hallway. James nodded approvingly at his attire and led him towards the delivery room where Carly was.

_Don't wanna be like a voice without words_

_Cuz I need you here with me_

_Will I suppress my fears?_

_Don't wanna be in this war of nerves_

"Good luck," James murmured reassuringly.

"Thanks," Freddie remarked quickly, giving the older man a small smile before entering the delivery room.

"Who are you?" one of the nurses standing nearest to the door asked in surprise.

"I'm Freddie Benson and that's my baby you're about to deliver." Freddie replied without hesitation.

"Freddie?" Carly and Marissa called out in unison.

Marissa too was wearing similar attire to Freddie while Carly was wearing a hospital gown while lying on a hospital bed. Freddie had never been happier to see either one of them in his entire life.

Until they both began yelling angrily at him.

* * *

**Musical References:**

**1) **"**Don't Take Your Love Away" by Vast**

**2) **"**The Ghost Of You" by My Chemical Romance**

**3) **"**War Of Nerves" by All Saints**

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note: Uh-oh, why are there two angry women yelling at Freddie? You're gonna have to read the beginning of next chapter to find out ; ) I couldn't resist going all "Grey's Anatomy" with the flashback, I hope I got the medical jargon down just right. Now onto part II of this thrilling tale. I hope you've fastened your seatbelts, it's gonna be a rough ride. Snapplelinz out!  
**


	10. iGo To The Hospital Part II

**Author's Note: Part II of Carly and Freddie's exploits at San Francisco General Hospital. Are Freddie's fears unfounded or is Carly's early labor a pre-cursor for tragedy in the Benson Family? A tad bit dramatic I know, but I got the cogs whirring in your brain with possibilities, right? Now onto the rest of the story...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own iCarly or the incessant shipping wars within the fandom ; )  
**

* * *

"Where the hell have you been?" Carly snapped furiously, her face turning beet red.

"I called you 20 minutes ago. What took you so long?" Marissa demanded heatedly.

"Whoa, whoa. One angry woman at a time." Freddie protested weakly while waving his hands in front of him.

"Since Freddie's here now, I'm afraid you'll have to leave the room, Mrs. Benson." Carly's gynaecologist, Dr. Barnes, advised apologetically.

"That's alright. I'll see you all later. Good luck, Carly." Marissa called out as she left the room.

"Thank you, Marissa!" Carly greeted back amidst her shallow breaths.

"Carly, I'm so sorry I didn't get here sooner. How are you feeling?" Freddie asked gently as he removed a clump of sweaty hair from Carly's forehead with his hand.

"How do you think I'm feeling? It feels like I'm pushing a piano out of my vagina! And you weren't even here from the start!" Carly fumed angrily.

"Baby, I'm really sorry. But I got lost on the way up here." Freddie protested fearfully.

"You got lost? For God's sake, do you need fucking GPS navigation for everything these days? One minute, you can't find the grocery store, now you suddenly can't find your way to a hospital you've only been going to for the past few years while I'm trying to have a baby!" Carly shrieked maliciously.

"Seriously, are you completely unable to comprehend that I'm giving birth here? Or am I just invisible?" she demanded in an irate tone of her husband.

"Definitely not invisible," one of the male orderlies quipped under his breath while staring at Carly's gigantic pregnancy bulge.

"Carly, I'm so sorry, but I'm here now. Everything's going to be okay." Freddie murmured comfortingly.

"Oh my God, this hurts so much! Ooh, ooh, aargh!" Carly screamed while grabbing Freddie's hand and squeezing tightly.

"Carly, you need to start pushing now." Dr. Barnes commanded gently while positioning herself in front of the bed.

Carly gritted her teeth and obeyed, her skin drawn tightly against her cheeks while she began pushing with all her might and screaming at the top of her lungs.

"That's it, Carly. Come on, sweetheart, you can do it!" Freddie cheered enthusiastically, keeping a firm grip on Carly's hand.

"Oh my God, I hate you so much, Fredward Benson! You did this to me! Do you know how good I looked before I met you? Now I look like a beached whale and it's all your fault!" Carly yelled irately.

Freddie caught the eye of the orderly standing near the door (who was trying his hardest not to laugh out loud) and grimaced.

"That's okay, sweetheart, just let it out. You're just venting." Freddie chided gently.

"She does love me…way deep down," he added uncomfortably.

Carly's eyes were shut tightly, the tears running steadily down her cheeks while she inhaled and exhaled, the excruciating pain shooting through every nerve ending in her body.

"That's it, keep going. You're doing wonderfully, Carly." Dr. Barnes stated reassuringly with a broad smile on her face.

"Breathe, breathe. That's it, keep breathing, honey." Freddie chided soothingly.

"Aaargh! Urgh, Oh God. It hurts so much." Carly wailed painstakingly.

"I know, baby. But you've gotta push for just a little bit more. Just think of our baby girl, who's gonna be with us soon." Freddie replied comfortingly.

In the midst of her pain, Carly couldn't help laughing jubilantly at the thought.

"Oh my God, our baby's gonna be with us soon. We're going to be parents, Freddie." Carly whispered, her smile shining across her face which was shining with sweat.

Without really meaning to, Freddie's heart began thumping deafeningly in his chest while he processed this information for the second time in his life. And it was no less life-altering than the first time. It felt like his heart was swelling deep within, threatening to rip itself away from the rest of his body. In the midst of his deep-set happiness, Freddie's heart literally plummeted into the depths of his stomach when he heard the unthinkable: the terrifying sound of Carly and the baby's monitor ringing and beeping shrilly behind him.

_And so it is_

_Just like you said it would be_

_Life goes easy on me_

_Most of the time_

"The baby's vitals are dropping, Dr. Barnes!" one of the attending doctors called out sharply.

"Dammit!" Dr. Barnes cursed aloud.

"W-w-what's happening?" Carly asked weakly, her eyes dilated with fear.

"Dr. Barnes, what's wrong?" Freddie demanded shrilly, his worst fears on the fringes of being realised.

"The uterus has stretched because there's too much amniotic fluid in the womb. The baby's going into foetal distress!" Dr. Barnes exclaimed tersely.

_And so it is_

_Shorter story_

_No love, no glory_

_No hero in her scars_

"Is the baby going to be okay?" Carly questioned anxiously.

"She will be if we act now. I need you to stop pushing, Carly. We're gonna have to perform a C-section to get the baby out." Dr. Barnes explained rapidly.

"A C-section? Can't you get the baby out normally?" Freddie inquired nervously.

"I'm afraid not, Freddie. The baby's already at risk because she's premature. It's now or never." Dr. Barnes advised firmly.

"Do whatever you have to do. Please save my baby." Carly begged frantically, succumbing to tears once more amidst her ragged breathing.

"Carly, it's gonna be okay." Freddie chided softly.

"Is there time for an anaesthetic?" he asked quickly of Dr. Barnes.

"Yes there is. Let's start prepping." Dr. Barnes barked out sharply of the nurses and doctors standing around her.

_I can't take my eyes off of you_

_I can't take my eyes off of you_

_I can't take my eyes off of you_

_I can't take my eyes off of you_

_I can't take my eyes off of you_

_I can't take my eyes_

While one of the nurses began swabbing the area of incision around Carly's belly, one of the other doctors injected Carly with an anaesthetic. Another nurse handed Dr. Barnes a gleaming scalpel, which was blinding against the light hanging above their heads. Freddie sucked in a breath as his eyes unwittingly followed Dr. Barnes' hand as the scalpel travelled along the breadth of Carly's stomach, leaving a thin line of blood across the surface of her skin. All Freddie could do at this point was grip Carly's hand, say a prayer and watch helplessly as the doctors took over. The sound of Carly's screaming was deafening in Freddie's ears as his mind began wandering:

_And so it is_

_Just like you said it should be_

_We'll both forget the breeze_

_Most of the time_

_Sam's screams in his ears were deafening, her steely grip threatening to break his hand in two. Her eyes were half-closed, the sweat dripping profusely down her face and through her hair, which was almost the colour of black under the dim lighting. Freddie had to fight the urge to retch right then and there at the bloodied hands of the doctors and nurses milling around his wife as Dr. Harris reached inside of Sam's belly to retrieve their baby girl…_

The doctors and nurses were all milling frantically around Carly as she continued screaming at the top of her lungs. The cry sent a shock wave through his system, as if he were drowning in freezing cold water. He would do anything to make it stop, to just end hers and their baby's suffering. Freddie watched as one of the nurses handed Dr. Barnes a set of clamps which she used to reach inside of Carly to retrieve their baby girl.

_And so it is_

_The colder water_

_The blower's daughter_

_The pupil in denial_

_Sam had screamed so much that day; worse than when was excited, worse than when she was irate. She was screaming like her body was being torn in half and set on fire at the same time. There was so much blood; he had never seen so much blood in his entire life on someone who was still alive and breathing… _

Carly couldn't remember a time in her life before this when she felt so much pain; it was as if the agony was piercing her very heart, threatening to paralyse her entire being with numb compliance. Then she glanced to her left and saw her husband's face, smiling broadly even though she could tell he was scared. That gave her enough courage to keep going for him, and for their baby.

_Ooh, did I say that I loathe you?_

_Did I say that I want to leave it all behind?_

_I can't take my mind off of you_

_I can't take my mind off of you_

_I can't take my mind off of you_

_I can't take my mind off of you_

_I can't take my mind off of you_

_I can't take my mind_

_Sam glanced to the left and saw Freddie's face beside her, smiling and encouraging her all the while. Her heart sunk in her chest at the thought that her time may very well be running out. No one had even said her words, but it felt as though her thudding heart was trying to tell her what the doctors would only discover a few hours later. _

_She was dying._

_But she couldn't let Freddie see; she had to keep going, for him and their baby. All she needed was a few minutes, just a little more time for hope to prevail. With one last thunderous yell, Sam arched her back and craned her neck forward, giving herself over to one final moment of exhilaration before it was gone far too soon as her baby girl entered the world for the first time…_

_My mind_

_My mind_

_Till I find somebody new_

Both Freddie and Carly were startled into silence by the unfamiliar sound of another person wailing piercingly through the tiny room. Dr. Barnes rose to her full height, her mask no longer covering her face. She was sporting a bright smile as she held the tiniest of babies in her arms. Both Freddie and Carly began laughing in awed disbelief at their baby girl, whose minute hands were balled into fists, her little face screwed up tightly while she howled incessantly.

_Can this be true?_

_Tell me, can this real?_

_How can I put into words what I feel?_

"Congratulations, Freddie and Carly. You have a beautiful baby girl." Dr. Barnes announced happily, looking on the verge of tears.

Carly succumbed completely to her emotions as she began crying progressively, her shoulders convulsing violently.

"Oh my God," Freddie murmured in wonder, his face shining with fresh tears.

"C-c-can I hold her?" Carly asked tentatively through her sobs.

Dr. Barnes nodded vigorously and walked cautiously towards the new parents with a wide smile on her face while carrying their newborn baby in her hands.

_How can it be that right here with me?_

_There's an angel_

_It's a miracle_

"Here you go," she whispered gently and carefully placed the tiny child in the crook of Carly's arm.

Freddie leaned over Carly while she held her daughter in her arms for the first time. Everything that Carly felt as the seconds passed while she held her baby couldn't possibly be put into words; all that she knew for certain was that she'd never felt happier and more complete. It was as if the tiny baby in front of her had summed up every one of her memories and choices, yet was still immensely more valuable than anything she had ever achieved in her life. She was convinced that this day trumped any other happy moment in her lifetime: when she, Sam and Freddie had recorded their first ever episode of iCarly; graduating from high school and college; falling in love with Freddie and then eventually marrying him. She had been wrong when she thought that the first time she and Freddie had kissed had been everything. This moment in time, holding the baby that had sprung forth from hers and Freddie's deep and passionate love for each other, this was everything.

_Your love is like a river_

_Peaceful and deep_

_Your soul is like a secret that I never could keep_

_When I like into your eyes, I know that it's true_

_God must've spent a little more time on you_

"She's beautiful," Freddie stated truthfully, cutting into Carly's vivid thoughts.

Carly chuckled at this and her smile brightened the more she looked at their new-born baby.

"Hi. I'm your Mommy. I've been waiting for months for us to meet in person. And now that we have…I couldn't be happier about it." Carly acknowledged sincerely while staring deeply into her little girl's brown eyes, which were a mesh of both hers and Freddie's eye colours.

_In all of creation_

_All things great and small_

_You are the one that surpasses them all_

_More precious than any diamond or pearl_

_They broke the mold when you came in this world_

"She looks just like you," she added softly.

"No. This one's all you, Carly. She's perfect." Freddie answered seriously.

Carly glanced up at Freddie and smiled deeply, her heart swooping in her stomach like she was falling in love with him all over again.

"I love you so much, Freddie." She breathed tenderly.

"I love you too, Carly. Always." Freddie responded, matching her tone.

He lowered his head and kissed their newborn baby gently on the forehead before his and Carly's lips met in mid-air for a few seconds before they eventually broke apart.

_And I'm trying hard to figure out_

_Just how I ever did without_

"Why don't you hold her?" Carly suggested kindly when she saw the look of pure euphoria etched on Freddie's face while he gazed down at his daughter.

Freddie's smile grew wider at the prospect and he gingerly took his little girl from Carly's arms and cradled her against his chest.

_The warmth of your smile_

_The heart of a child that's deep inside_

_Leaves me purified_

"Hey, beautiful. I'm your Daddy. I know this is all new to you. But I promise you, your Mommy and me will be here to guide you through it, through anything. We love you so much and we're so glad you're finally here with us." Freddie whispered genuinely while rocking his little bundle of joy to and fro in a rhythmic pattern.

The rest of the delivery room could very well have disappeared because both Freddie and Carly only had eyes for each other and their baby girl. This indeed was everything that either one of them could've hoped and dreamed for in a million years. The newest addition to their family had finally arrived.

* * *

**10 November, 2028**

Now that Carly was a bit more rested, Freddie helped her out of bed and pushed her in a wheelchair a few meters down the hallway from her hospital room so that they could see their newborn baby. They entered the tiny room where Dr. Barnes stood monitoring their baby and scribbling notes down on her clipboard. She glanced up from her work and smiled broadly at the married couple before her.

"Freddie, Carly. How are you both feeling?" Dr. Barnes welcomed brightly.

"I'm fine, thank you." Freddie answered stoically.

"I'm okay I guess. Still a little weepy though." Carly joked lightly.

"Well, that's perfectly normal. Your hormones are bound to be all over the place immediately after giving birth." Dr. Barnes explained sympathetically.

"How is she?" Carly asked hesitantly, referring to the baby.

"Doing a lot better. Her vitals are looking good." Dr. Barnes responded optimistically.

"How soon before we can take her home, Dr. Barnes?" Freddie questioned tentatively.

"It's difficult to say at this point. I'd like to keep her in the incubator for a few more days so that I can monitor her closely." Dr. Barnes replied evasively.

"A few more days? How serious is her condition, Dr. Barnes?" Carly asked anxiously.

"As I explained before, your baby's lungs are still a little premature because she decided to come knocking a few weeks early. As a result, she's developed what's called Respiratory Distress Syndrome or RDS, which is caused by a lack of a sufficient agent in her lungs called surfactant, which stops the lungs from ultimately collapsing. What she requires most right now is supplemental oxygen, which is currently being supplied to her via the ventilator and dosages of surfactant to help her lungs develop properly." Dr. Barnes clarified by gesturing to the plastic tubes and wires attached to and running along the incubator.

"Will this affect her overall development at a later stage?" Freddie questioned seriously.

"We won't know for sure until we've monitored her closely for a sufficient amount of time. But like I said, your little girl's a fighter and she's improving progressively. You've just got to have a little faith. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask anytime; you have my number and my pager. I'll leave you two alone with her while I run down to the lab quickly." Dr. Barnes responded kindly.

"Thank you, Dr. Barnes. For everything." Freddie stated graciously.

Dr. Barnes gave both Freddie and Carly a small smile before exiting the room. Freddie placed his hands on Carly's shoulders while she began sobbing quietly.

"It's gonna be okay, Carly." Freddie stated in a pacifying manner.

"I can't help feeling like it's my fault." Carly confessed morosely while she stared at her daughter through the see-through glass of the incubator.

"How can you say that, Carly? You couldn't have known that she'd come earlier than expected." Freddie answered soothingly.

"I know. And even though Dr. Barnes said that the reasons behind premature childbirth are mostly unknown, she said that one of the factors behind it is often due to the mother's own medical background. What if something in me caused our baby's lungs not to develop properly?" Carly demanded dejectedly.

"Carly, listen to me. There's absolutely nothing wrong with you. If there was, Dr. Barnes would've told us about it at an earlier stage during the pregnancy. You are not to blame, Carly. Sometimes these things just happen." Freddie responded reasonably while giving her shoulders a reassuring squeeze.

"I just feel so helpless right now." Carly admitted sadly while she watched their baby's minute intakes of breath as her tiny chest rose slowly up, then down again.

"Me too. But Dr. Barnes is right, we've just gotta have a little faith that our little girl is going to be just fine." Freddie stated warmly, bending his head towards Carly's face and kissing her gently on the cheek.

Carly cupped the side of Freddie's head momentarily and grasped his hand tightly while they continued watching their baby's every movement through the incubator.

"I'm sorry about what I said to you in the delivery room." Carly began awkwardly after about a minute of silence.

Freddie turned to face her with a quizzical expression on his face before Carly continued.

"When I insulted you and said that I hated you. I didn't mean it; you have to know that I don't feel that way towards you. My hormones were all over the place and I was in so much pain-"

"Carly, it's okay. I was there that day when Dr. Barnes explained about the possibility of your hormones going haywire doing the pregnancy. I was more surprised than anything else. Besides, Sam said worse things to me in the delivery room." Freddie explained dryly.

"Like what?" Carly asked with unrepressed intrigue.

Freddie rolled his eyes, recalling the words as easily as the statistics in a basketball game:

"_Oh my God, this hurts so much! I swear to God, as soon as I'm finished here, I'm going to beat the shit out of you, Fredward! It'll be just like old times back in the quad at Ridgeway. Don't let this robe fool you; as soon as they take me off this IV-drip, I'm fucking you up on sight!"_

"No way!" Carly exclaimed in delight after hearing Freddie's version of events.

"Way," Freddie affirmed grimly.

Carly didn't even try to stop herself as she began clutching her stomach and laughing, trying her best not to make too much noise.

"That's right, laugh it up. Everybody's a critic." Freddie remarked drolly.

"I'm sorry, honey. It's just…I can picture Sam saying something like that to you." Carly wheezed through her hysterical laughter.

Freddie decided then and there that a change in subject was necessary.

"We still need to decide on a name for the baby." Freddie reminded softly.

"You already vetoed all of my names." Carly reminded back dryly, causing Freddie to chuckle.

"I'm sorry, but Francine is not a viable name for our daughter." Freddie joked emphatically.

"What's wrong with it? I think it's pretty." Carly rejoined defensively.

"Francine is Ms. Briggs' first name. You do remember Ms. Briggs, don't you?" Freddie demanded wryly.

Carly's eyes widened in horror.

"Oh my God. I totally forgot that was Ms. Briggs' first name. We almost named our baby after Ms. Briggs!" Carly hissed in mortification, cupping her face in her hands.

"Correction: _you_ almost named our baby after Ms. Briggs_._ There's no 'we' in this picture." Freddie amended while sniggering loudly.

"Fine, we dodged a major bullet there. Well, my other choice was Sawyer. What's wrong with Sawyer?" Carly challenged curiously.

"_Sawyer Benson_? Our baby will sound like some soup made with cough syrup." Freddie pointed out scathingly.

"Okay, Mr. Tech-Wiz. What do _you_ suggest we call our daughter?" Carly demanded expectantly with her arms folded across her chest.

"Hmm, what about Lila?" Freddie suggested keenly.

"Veto." Carly retorted flippantly.

"What's wrong with Lila?"

"_What's wrong with Lila? _'Hi, everyone. My name's Lila. It's short for Delilah, the name of a biblical whore!'"

"Alright, point taken. How 'bout Sarah?" Freddie pressed eagerly.

"Nah, it reminds me of Sarah Palin. Too many jokes about Alaska."

"What are you talking about, Carly? That was more than 10 years ago?"

"So? Some people never forget!" Carly quipped seriously.

Freddie pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

"This is hopeless. We're never gonna agree on a name for our baby." He stated tiredly while pacing the small room.

Carly made no response to this, but continued gazing at their baby while she slept soundly in her miniature bed. A smile curled on Carly's lips while she studied the way that her daughter's tiny hands were currently balled into fists while she slept. She was forcibly reminded of a similar stance that Sam occasionally used to take while she slept in Carly's bed back in Bushwell Plaza; Carly's guess was that Sam was most likely conjuring up new ways to torture unwitting victims like Gibby, even when she was asleep. That's when the answer hit her like a ton of bricks.

"Freddie," Carly whispered quickly.

Freddie gazed up from his pacing and looked over at Carly enquiringly.

"I know what we can call our baby." She announced gleefully.

"We're not naming her after a character out of 'Girly Cow', are we?" Freddie questioned knowingly.

"No," Carly drawled out with a scowl on her face.

"Why don't we call her Sam?"

Freddie's eyes widened in surprise, this being the last name that he had expected Carly to suggest.

"Sam?"

"Yeah. It's a name of someone that we both love and it's not too weird either. Plus, look at her hands. She could be a 'Sam' with her fists all balled up like that." Carly pointed out seriously.

Freddie followed Carly's gaze and furrowed his eyes in concentration. On a strange level, Carly did have a point. Their newborn child's current posture reminded him a lot of Sam, especially when she was dreaming up new ways to beat him into a pulp back in middle school.

"Besides being abrasive and a natural-born bully, Sam also had some other amazing qualities too. Like her loyalty, her willingness to defend the people she loves and her resilience. Things could've easily gone wrong in the delivery room. But they didn't, and I'd like to think that Sam was there with us a few days ago, watching over us to make sure that nothing bad happened, like a guardian angel. She named her daughter after me; so why can't we name our daughter after her?" Carly pressed seriously.

"Are you sure that's what you want though? You don't have to name the baby after Sam just because she named Carly after you." Freddie stated just as seriously.

"I know that, but I want to. The day that our baby girl was conceived, I was feeling really miserable about losing my best friend; I needed you to make me forget about we'd both lost. We both needed to feel more alive again. Sam named Carly after me because it was like having a part of me in both your lives even after I had left. I feel the same way about naming our baby after her. This way, it'll feel like she's still here in some small way." Carly responded concisely.

_And tell me somebody is watching_

_Over me_

_And that is all I'm praying is that_

_Someday I will understand_

_In God's whole plan_

_And what he's done to me_

Freddie made no response, but continued staring between Carly and their daughter with an immeasurable expression on his face. When he finally glanced back down at Carly, he was smiling broadly.

_Oh but maybe_

_Someday I will breathe_

_And I'll finally see_

_I'll see it all in my baby_

"Okay. Sam it is." He answered sincerely.

Carly matched his smile as the two of them turned to face their new-born baby once more, who still had her fists balled up at her sides. They both wore looks of contentment at the sight.

_No moment will be more true_

_Than the moment I look at you_

_It's in you_

_You see somebody is watching over you_

"Hi… Sam." Carly greeted gently, testing the waters ever so slightly.

"What do you think?" Freddie asked cautiously, trying to gauge the look in Carly's eyes.

A wide smile curled on Carly's mouth, her eyes locked on the incubator all the while.

"It's perfect." She breathed.

Freddie smiled in turn and entwined his fingers with Carly's as they continued staring at their daughter, who was asleep in a world of her own.

_And that is all I'm praying is that_

_Someday you will understand_

_In God's whole plan_

_And what he does to you_

* * *

**12 November, 2028  
**

"Someone wanna tell me why we're all assembled here late at night?" Shane asked suspiciously, breaking the silence.

"I have no idea. All Freddie said over the phone was to bring Carly and come to the hospital right away. He said it was an emergency." Marissa answered quickly.

"It better be. I'm missing out on a girl-on-girl mud wrestling contest on HBO." Gibby pointed out irritably.

"You are such a horn-dog, Gibby." Shane quipped in an undertone so that little Carly wouldn't hear.

"Grandma, is everything okay with Mom and the baby?" Carly Marissa asked nervously.

"I don't know, honey." Marissa admitted honestly.

"Hey, don't worry about it, kiddo. I'm sure everything's fine with your Mom and the baby." Gibby stated reassuringly while ruffling Carly Marissa's hair affectionately.

In answer to their question, Freddie came strolling towards them while they waited near the receptionist's counter.

"Hey, everyone. Where's James, Mom?" He inquired pleasantly while bending over to kiss and hug his daughter.

"Out of town visiting his daughter." Marissa responded casually.

"Aw, that's too bad. I was hoping he'd be here too." Freddie stated meekly.

"Yo, Freddie. You're kinda freaking us all out here. What's going on?" Shane pressed urgently.

"Yeah, hot girls in bikinis aren't gonna wrestle in mud by themselves, you know." Gibby retorted dryly.

"Actually, hot girls in bikinis can wrestle in mud without you there, Gibby. Would you all please come inside? Carly and I have some news." Freddie announced brightly, gesturing with his hand towards Carly's hospital room.

He then turned his back on them and they followed him inside. Carly was sitting up in bed now, but she wasn't alone. The four visitors gasped and murmured in awe at the tiny baby lying awake in Carly's arms, staring back at them with wide eyes.

"Hi, everyone. There's someone I'd like you to meet." Carly began by way of introduction in a low voice.

"Whoa," Gibby and Shane chorused in unison.

"Wow," Carly Marissa murmured slowly, mesmerised by how tiny her baby sister was.

"Oh my God, she's beautiful." Marissa whispered, happy tears brimming in her eyes as she moved closer towards the bed.

As the four of them moved closer with Freddie standing on Carly's right-hand side, Carly beckoned to her younger counterpart by patting a vacant spot on the bed next to her. Carly Marissa acquiesced and got onto the bed slowly as she stared more intently at the baby.

"She's so cute!" someone piped up unexpectedly near the pedestal next to the bed.

Everyone including Carly glanced over towards the pedestal and saw Kelly's face beaming from Carly's cellphone.

"Kelly, I'm so sorry! I forgot that you were still holding on!" Carly exclaimed sheepishly.

"It's so nice to know how much you treasure our friendship after all this time, Carly." Kelly responded sarcastically with a big smile on her face.

"She's so small." Shane marvelled.

"She's still a little underweight. But Dr. Barnes says that she's making good progress. She's got enough surfactant in her lungs now, so Dr. Barnes said we could keep her here in the room with us." Freddie explained patiently.

"When can you bring her home?" Marissa asked quietly.

"Probably in a few days' time." Carly answered with a small smile.

"Wow, Carly. She looks just like you, thank God. Can you imagine Freddie's nose on a tiny baby?" Gibby teased, causing everyone except Freddie to giggle and snigger.

"Watch it, Gibson." Freddie warned dryly.

"Yeah, Gibby, leave Freddie alone. I happen to like his nose." Carly joined in seriously with a grin on her face.

The seven of them continued staring wordlessly at the baby while she sucked contently on Carly's index finger.

"Um, as much as I enjoy 'quiet time', it's almost midnight and I've got an early start tomorrow. What are we all 'doing' here, Freddie?" Kelly asked expectantly, cutting into the silence.

"Yeah, what's going on? You know it's past Carly's bed-time." Marissa stated seriously.

Freddie and Carly glanced at each other momentarily before Freddie answered his mother's question.

"Okay. Well mine and Carly's news is that we finally have a name for the baby. Honey, would you like to do the honours?" Freddie asked politely of his wife.

Carly gazed up at her husband with a content smile on her face before turning to face everyone else.

"Everyone…I'd like you to meet…Samantha Emily Benson." Carly introduced gently.

Kelly was the first to break the silence once more out of everyone else.

"Oh, Carly, Freddie. That's a lovely name for her." She choked through her sniffles.

"It's perfect." Marissa added sincerely through her own tears.

"Really great name." Gibby agreed readily in a strangely high-pitched voice.

"Gibby, are you crying?" Shane asked in bewilderment.

"No. I just got a little dust in my eye, that's all." Gibby protested defensively while rubbing his eye with the back of his hand.

"Awesome name, you guys." Shane stated genuinely with a big grin on his face.

Carly stared down at her younger counterpart.

"What do you think, Carly-Bear?" Carly asked in a small voice.

Carly Marissa, who had been gazing attentively at her baby sister, looked up at Carly with a distracted expression.

"I think it's a really cool name. Mom would…she'd really like it." Carly Marissa finally answered while locking eyes with her older counter-part.

"You mean that?" Carly questioned nervously.

"Totally." Carly Marissa reiterated, a reassuring smile etched on her face.

Carly smiled back at her older daughter and placed her free hand around her shoulder while Carly Marissa began idly stroking the smooth tendrils of little Sam's black hair with her fingers.

The rest of the adults, including Kelly, fell silent once more, content to just stare at Carly holding both Carly Marissa and little Sam close to her. Freddie stood nearby them all the while, just happy to stare at his three favourite girls all night long if necessary.

* * *

**Musical References:**

**1) "The Blower's Daughter" by Damien Rice**

**2) "God Must've Spent A Little More Time On You" by Nsync**

**3) "Someday (I Will Understand)" by Britney Spears**

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note: Alrighty roo, all the high tension and angst was clearly for nothing because Little Sam and Carly are both A-okay. What do you guys think of the baby's name? Too predictable? I must give mad props to mrmuscle for guessing the baby's name correctly in his review for chapter 21 of 'iLost And Found' when Carly's pregnancy was first mentioned, well done. Your prize is that you get to name the next Creddie kid if they have another one (hee hee). A special thank you as well to PerennialKillJoy for composing Sam's death threats during the flashback excerpt while she was in labor, very colorful indeed ; ) Just three more chapters left in the story after this, one of which will be one final Creddie lemon (who else were you expecting?). Thank you so much to everyone for the countless reviews, it's gotten me through the past few weeks and months. Snapplelinz out, Ayoba forever!  
**


	11. iSpeak Spanish

**Author's Note: Hey, everyone. How's it hanging? So I've decided to post this new chapter a day early because I've just found out that I'm going to watch Portugal vs Brazil in 3D tomorrow which is going to be tight dawg : ) I'm a little bummed that South Africa didn't get further in the World Cup, but at least they went out with a bang. After this chapter, there's just 3 more chapters (not 2 like I initially thought) and then the additional chapters for 'iLost And Found' will officially be complete (sniff). Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed the hospital chapters, all your feedback throughout this story has been magnificent. Now onto the chapter...**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own iCarly, only my crazy ideas (muah ha ha).  
**

* * *

**6 February, 2029**

_**San Francisco - The Benson Household**_

Carly sat on hers and Freddie's bed that Tuesday night, listening intently for any sounds downstairs. Freddie was currently working on designing a new range of spy-ware software for his company and quite frankly, it was driving her a little crazy. It had been like this ever since they had brought little Sam home from the hospital. Carly couldn't shake the feeling that Freddie was somehow avoiding being in the same room with her for long periods of time, save to sleep in the same bed. And she knew exactly what was bothering him.

There had been certain complications when Carly had gone into premature labour with Sam more than two months ago. But it had been a near-miss and both Carly and Sam were fine in the end, both healthy and stable. But Freddie was still acting as cautious as ever; it was almost as he was afraid to touch her, in case she disintegrated into sand. This current attitude of Freddie's wasn't working at all for Carly, considering that she was almost over her post-natal depression and had been working steadily towards recovering her figure and womanly curves with rigorous amounts of exercise and yoga. And now that her libido was finally back and she wanted to be completely intimate with her husband (without a pregnancy bulge standing in their way) after staving off any sexual activity for several months, Freddie didn't even want to touch her.

And she missed his touches desperately. Not even just the ones when they made love, but the simple touches too. The way he massaged her shoulders after she had a hard day at work. The way he would lift her hair away from the back of her head to kiss the nape of her neck in greeting when he got home from work. And the way he would trace his fingers across her stomach, drawing strange patterns across her skin while they cuddled together at night.

And now, nothing.

Freddie had spent almost every night downstairs, either in the kitchen or the living room, pouring over mounds of paperwork or working steadily on his laptop for the past two weeks while Carly lay upstairs, waiting for him to come to bed. Well, Carly had finally had enough. She was going to prove to Freddie once and for all that she wasn't as fragile as he thought she was.

Naturally, she had called Kelly on numerous occasions before this, lamenting about her marital woes to one of her best friends. Kelly had been amazing; lying in bed just after midnight in New York with her husband, Nick, sleeping beside her and snoring loudly all the while, as she listened patiently to Carly vent out her frustrations over the phone. Finally, Kelly came up with a solution to Carly's problems. Carly herself was so astounded by the simplicity of the scheme, mentally scolding herself for not having thought of it sooner on her own. But there was still the issue of getting Freddie to take the bait. Carly knew that she couldn't just come right out and lay her cards out on the table. This would require a new stratagem of seduction altogether.

With that in mind, Carly hopped off the bed and strolled towards the bathroom in the hallway, taking with her an assortment of clothing she had purchased that day at one of her favourite boutiques. It took her a good 15 minutes to get everything ready and in place. Carly crept along the dimly lit hallway and peeped in on little Carly, who was sleeping soundly in her bed, then on little Sam, who too was sleeping quite peacefully in her own crib in the guest bedroom, which had become her new nursery. Now that Carly had reassured herself that there wouldn't be any untimely interruptions for what she had planned, she crept silently down the stairs towards the living room.

Carly poked her head around the corner and saw Freddie sitting cross-legged on the carpet in a sweat shirt and pyjama pants, typing away spiritedly on his laptop, which was propped up on the coffee table. She grinned to herself and decided to put the first phase of her plan into action.

"Hey," she greeted innocently as a way of getting Freddie's attention.

Freddie's eyes snapped up sharply and gazed in surprise at his wife's sudden appearance, her head poking around the corner of the wall in front of the stairs, her body completely hidden from view.

"Hey. Did I wake you?" Freddie asked self-consciously.

"Uh-uh, I couldn't sleep. I just thought I'd get myself a glass of milk." Carly responded casually.

"Sounds nice." Freddie stated with a small smile before his eyes averted back to the flashing laptop monitor.

"Do you want me to get you something from the kitchen too?" Carly asked courteously.

"No thanks, I'm fine. You go ahead." Freddie replied rapidly without looking up from his work.

Carly sighed inaudibly at Freddie's obtuseness, but collected herself a few seconds later. If her plan was going to work, then she had to make her move while the opportunity still presented itself. Knowing that Freddie wouldn't look up at her now, Carly walked over to him slowly, her hips swaying ever so slightly as she came to stand a meter away from him.

"Whatcha working on?" she asked softly, feigning curiosity.

"Just creating some codes and prompts for the new spyware I have to design that I told you about." Freddie responded calmly from behind his laptop screen.

"Okay." Carly replied slowly.

"I thought you were going to the kitchen to get some milk." Freddie stated shrewdly, not having heard Carly's footsteps leave the living room.

"I was, but then I changed my mind. I just realised that I'm not feeling thirsty at all." Carly answered demurely.

"Oh yeah? So what are you feeling?" Freddie asked curiously while staring down at his keyboard.

Carly sucked in her breath, contemplating her next move. This was it, the moment of truth. She had been practising for weeks; if it sounded terrible, she'd just have to deal with the consequences and possible ridicule later. There was no going back now.

"Tengo ganas," Carly murmured in as low and seductive a voice as she could muster.

Freddie's head snapped up sharply at Carly's words as he regarded her more carefully.

"What did you just say?" he asked cautiously, wondering if those words had just come out of her mouth.

"Tengo ganas," Carly repeated, a mischievous smirk etched on her face.

There was no mistaking it; that had definitely been Carly lips moving while she said the last two words that Freddie had ever expected to hear her say. But why was she saying it now? Since when did Carly speak Spanish?

That's when Freddie's eyes left Carly's face and moved over the rest of her body. He gulped down a breath when he looked more closely at her attire. To say that she was practically wearing nothing wouldn't have been a stretch of the imagination. To cover her upper body, Carly was wearing her favourite white work blouse, which hugged her body in all the right places and accentuated her curvy breasts. He frowned in confusion at the thin black tie that she was wearing around the collar of her shirt and a black felt Fedora hat on her head. Had she been wearing that a minute ago?

_Come on closer_

_Wanna show ya_

_What I'd like to do_

_You sit back now_

_Just relax now_

_I'll take care of you_

His confusion suddenly turned to intrigue when he took in her lower body. From what he could tell, Carly was wearing a black garter belt, which stretched over her shapely thighs and attached to very sexy-looking black thigh-high stockings. Then Freddie glanced at the 4-inch velvety black stilettos which Carly wore on her feet, standing with her legs slightly apart in an inviting manner.

_Hot temptations_

_Sweet sensations_

_Infiltrating through_

_Sweet sensations_

_Hot temptations_

_Coming over you_

"Uh, Carly…what's going on?" Freddie asked weakly.

"What? Don't you like what I'm wearing?" Carly asked demurely, her index finger tracing a lone circle around the curve of her right breast.

"Uh, no, it's not that. It's just, uh…where's this coming from, Carly?" Freddie asked uncertainly, trying very hard to look Carly in the eye instead of everywhere else.

"Freddie, do you know how much weight I gained while I was pregnant?" Carly asked suddenly, changing tact abruptly.

"Uh, a lot?" Freddie stammered, unsure of what Carly's question had to do with anything.

"20 pounds." Carly affirmed seriously.

"Wow, that much?" Freddie asked in surprise.

"I felt like a beached whale for most of the pregnancy. Remember when I got to 7 months? I couldn't even bend down to put on my shoes." Carly stated frankly.

"I remember." Freddie confirmed.

"Well, ever since we brought Sam home from the hospital, I've been working towards getting my old figure back. I've spent countless hours at the gym: running on the treadmill, doing sit-ups and crunches. I've even been doing various yoga exercises that have had my body twisted into all kinds of crazy angles and positions." Carly continued on in a delicately low voice.

The mention of 'crazy angles and positions' caused Freddie to lick his lips momentarily as he pictured it.

"Hours of toil, labour and sweat and I've finally managed to get my curves back in all the right places. See?" Carly asked persistently while turning around to give Freddie a better view.

"Yes, it's very clear." Freddie muttered hoarsely while gulping down breath trapped in his throat.

"But, Carly. What-" Freddie attempted as he stood up from the carpet before Carly moved forward and silenced him by placing a lone finger on his lips.

"Now that I've got my body back exactly the way I want it, I thought we could enjoy it together, Freddie." Carly interjected saucily.

The finger which had silenced Freddie left his mouth and began travelling down towards his shoulder blade, where Carly began tracing patterns along his sweat shirt.

Carly used that same finger to push Freddie backwards, watching as he fell against the back of his favourite recliner with a loud thump.

_Gonna take it slow, babe_

_Do it my way_

_Keep your eyes on me_

_Your reaction to my action_

_Is what I want to see_

"Carly, I don't know about this," Freddie stammered weakly as Carly leant forward over him, her chest lined up with his face.

"Hazme el amor, Freddie." Carly purred seductively while grabbing fistfuls of Freddie's shirt in her hands.

There was definitely no mistaking Carly's words, or her tone on Freddie's part. She was speaking Spanish, and using it against him in the most devious way.

"When did you learn how to speak Spanish, Carly?" Freddie demanded stupidly, trying his best to ignore the feel of her warm breath on his face.

"I've been practising for weeks now with my trusty phrase book, just waiting for the right opportunity to put it to use." Carly answered demurely, her lips just inches away from Freddie's.

"Carly, you really shouldn't be exerting yourself. You should be resting right now." Freddie protested seriously, trying once more to get up from his recliner.

"Dammit, Freddie, aren't you listening to me? I'm tired of resting, and I'm tired of you treating me like an invalid. There were some complications when I gave birth, but both Sam and I are fine. We're both stable and healthy. So I need you to stop worrying." Carly chided soothingly while caressing Freddie's cheek gently.

"Just say that you want me as much as I want you," she pleaded painstakingly while closing her eyes, their foreheads touching.

"I always want you, Carly. Please don't think that me keeping my distance lately was because I didn't want to be with you. I just don't want to hurt you." Freddie reasoned morosely.

"Freddie, you could never hurt me. What hurts me more is not being able to be with you in every way that matters most to me. Do you love me?" Carly asked seriously.

"You know I do." Freddie answered without hesitation.

"Then show me. Necesito sentirte." Carly murmured gently, her lips grazing temptingly against Freddie's.

_Rhythmic motion_

_Raw emotion_

_Infiltrating through_

_Sweet sensations_

_Hot temptations_

_Coming over you_

Carly was having quite the effect on Freddie. It wasn't just her current attire that was getting him hot and bothered, but now she was using his favourite language on him to make him crack.

_Hour after hour_

_Of sweet pleasure_

_After this I guarantee_

_You'll never wanna leave_

"Aw, Carly, you don't fight fair," Freddie groaned dramatically, causing Carly to chuckle loudly.

"What's wrong, Freddie? Don't you like it when I speak Spanish to you?" Carly purred slyly in Freddie's ear.

"I think I like it a little too much," Freddie murmured hoarsely, feeling his erection straining mercilessly against his boxers.

"Then sit back, relax…and enjoy the view." Carly suggested seductively.

_Shut your eyes and think about_

_What I'm about to do_

_Sit back relax I'll take my time_

_This lovin's all for you_

Freddie watched Carly's movements in anticipation as she moved away from him deftly. Carly first went to dim the lights in the living room ever so slightly, then went to stand next to the corner of the coffee table, a sly grin etched on her face.

"I think I'm feeling a little too…constricted. Why don't I just take this off?" Carly asked demurely, referring to her blouse.

Freddie's eyes lit up with elation while watching Carly's fingers moving towards the buttons on her blouse. Without taking her eyes off of Freddie, Carly began unclasping her topmost button gently, then each one after that with patient deliberation. When each button was undone, Carly slowly peeled the blouse away from her body, and then watched the look on Freddie's face with inward delight when the sleeves slipped off her arms and fell noiselessly to the floor beneath her, leaving the tie still attached to her exposed neck.

_After all, the blouse you're wearing is kinda see through_

_And it's obvious I'm heading wherever you leading me to_

_Such an angel with a devilish angle_

_And quite the certified sweet-talker_

Freddie gaped in amazement at what Carly was wearing underneath her blouse: a strapless black bra, which cupped her milky-white bosom, which still retained some of its rotund curvature that she had gained from her pregnancy. That left the rest of her toned abdomen and navel exposed to Freddie's wandering eyes. He finally got a good look at her underwear which held up the garter-belt and the thigh-highs. They were the same shade of black as the belt bra, which covered her lower regions adequately while leaving her supple legs on display.

"Wow," Freddie murmured in awe, his eyes travelling all over Carly's voluptuous body.

_We have to take our clothes off_

_We have to party all night_

"You like my clothes?" Carly asked seductively.

All Freddie could do at this point was nod vigorously, his look of excitement reminiscent of a little boy who'd just been told by his mother that he could have candy for dinner.

"Good. Then you're gonna love them even more when they're lying on the floor." Carly concluded slyly while fingering the thin tie around her neck.

_We have to take our clothes off_

_To have a good time_

_Oh no_

Freddie looked the part of a man turned to stone, his mouth agape at the sight of Carly removing her clothes, slowly and sensually. First went the tie, which she coiled around her index fingers and thumbs before walking towards Freddie and placing it around his neck. Next came the hat, releasing Carly's silky mane of hair from its cotton confine, which she placed on Freddie's head. Then she unhooked the garter belt, removed the thigh-highs from her underwear and tossed them both at Freddie's feet. Then she knelt down and began unfastening the thin velvet straps on her high heels right before kicking off each shoe (the right first, and then the left), each one landing on opposite sides of Freddie's recliner.

This left Carly in her bra and her underwear, standing before Freddie with a sexy grin on her face. Freddie couldn't believe what he was seeing. If anyone had told him that Carly Shay was kinky back in middle school, he probably would've laughed in their face. Sure, he'd had enough dreams about her over the years that would've certainly made that statement true. But no dream or fantasy could compare to the woman standing in front of him, effortlessly beautiful inside and out, offering her body and her heart to him all at once.

_Good grief girl, you giving me goosebumps_

_Standing there in your underwear and new pumps_

_It's like the more time we waste_

_The less time I get to taste you_

Freddie's mind finally switched back to the present where Carly was slowly removing the bra from her body, tossing it casually onto the coffee table with a soft thump. Then she leant forward and hooked her thumbs into her underwear, pulling the silky fabric down her waist, past her thighs, then her calves and over her feet. Freddie gasped unexpectedly when Carly deliberately threw her underwear at his head. Now she was coming towards him ever so slowly, a hungry look in her blackened eyes while carrying what looked like a piece of red fabric in one of her hands.

"So…which look do you like better? On or off?" Carly teased slyly, climbing into Freddie's lap delicately.

"Definitely…off." Freddie answered truthfully.

"Funny, I was just about to say the same thing about you." Carly stated demurely, a wide smile on her face while placing the red cloth in her hand behind Freddie's head on the recliner.

_It's clear I'm only here for good clean fun_

_Shut up and kiss me like the antidote's under my tongue_

Freddie lifted up his arms obediently so that Carly could lift his sweat shirt off of his body. After Carly had removed Freddie's shirt from his arms, that too was tossed unceremoniously behind her. Then Carly wrapped her arms around Freddie's neck (knocking off the hat and tie in the process) and began kissing him sumptuously, being sure to slip her tongue inside of his mouth. Freddie groaned into the kiss, loving the feel of Carly's warm naked body pressed up against his, grinding against his erection slowly. He began caressing her bare back with his fingertips, causing Carly to shiver ever so slightly. One of her hands moved lower down his body and began stroking his erection through his sweatpants. Her lips finally left his as her head dipped lower to kiss his chest languidly, following a curvy line along his pecks, nipples and abdomen.

"Oh God, me vuelvos loco," Freddie muttered painstakingly without thinking.

Carly stiffened ever so slightly in Freddie's arms and he opened up his eyes wide in shock, surprised by the string of Spanish words which had just escaped his lips. He was even more surprised when a devious grin formed on Carly's face a second later.

"Keep talking," she implored.

"Huh?" Freddie asked in bewilderment.

"Say something else in Spanish." Carly reiterated slowly, her breath ghosting across Freddie's cheeks.

"Really?" Freddie asked curiously.

Carly nodded shyly before answering.

"It's sexy." She answered truthfully.

Freddie glanced at Carly for a few seconds while pondering on what to say next. When he had finally made up his mind, he looked at her with a small smile on his face.

"Me encantes, mi preciosa." He stated sincerely while caressing her cheek delicately.

It wasn't just the Spanish that was making Carly lose control. It was everything else too; the way each syllable rolled off of Freddie's tongue; the way his Adam's apple throbbed in his throat and the deeper texture that his voice took on while he said the words.

"Te deseo." Carly declared without hesitation, her eyes locked on Freddie's.

That was all the incentive Freddie needed as his hands moved towards his sweatpants and began pulling them down hurriedly, freeing them from his legs and throwing them onto the carpet. And finally, Carly moved off of Freddie slightly so that he could remove his briefs, the last piece of material standing between them.

"Quiero hacerte el amor," Freddie declared steadily, his eyes locked on Carly's.

"Then take me. Quiero despertar cansado de su amor." Carly responded in kind, her lips ghosting along the planes of Freddie's supple neck.

Carly's words caused Freddie to harden all the more as he gripped her hips tightly in his hands. That was all the encouragement Carly needed to retrieve the red cloth resting atop the recliner behind Freddie's head.

"What's that?" Freddie asked curiously.

"A blindfold. I thought we could make this experience slightly more…sensory." Carly explained delicately.

"Who are you and what have you done with my wife?" Freddie asked teasingly with a broad grin on his face.

"Oh, I'm sure your wife's somewhere in this room." Carly purred devilishly while covering Freddie's eye with the thin cloth.

"Can you see anything?" she asked tentatively of him.

Freddie shook his head and Carly proceeded further with her plan.

"Bésame," she implored in a husky voice, want and need evident in her tone.

_It's the time of the season_

_When love runs high_

Freddie allowed his hands to move forward in the blackness, searching desperately for any part of Carly's body to hold onto. Carly helped his hands find the back of her neck, where his fingers entwined themselves in her heavenly locks of hair. Then he finally complied with her request and inclined his head towards her, enveloping her sultry lips in a sweet and tender kiss. Carly closed her eyes momentarily at the contact of Freddie's mouth melded with hers, causing goosebumps to erupt on her arms and her legs. They'd been married for nearly 3 years now and made love on numerous occasions. But Carly couldn't remember a time before this when Freddie had been more attuned to her body without actually seeing it.

"Tocame," she murmured painstakingly.

_And this time, give it to me easy_

_And let me try with pleasured hands_

Freddie's fingers left the nape of Carly's neck and moved down towards her back as he traced a thin line across her skin, causing Carly to shiver in pleasure. Then she gasped loudly when Freddie's hands moved unexpectedly towards her chest as he began stroking her breasts with gentle touches. Carly arched even more into Freddie's touch, craving more of the languid feel of his warm hands kneading her hard peaks into submission. Carly wrapped her hands around Freddie's as they continued pleasuring her and kissed each of his knuckles in turn, causing Freddie to groan softly. Not being able to withstand any more of Freddie's teasing, Carly placed her hands delicately on Freddie's shoulders and began lowering herself slowly onto Freddie's engorged erection, which stood ready and waiting for her.

_To take you in the sun to promised lands_

_To show you everyone_

For a few seconds, Freddie wasn't entirely certain why Carly had moved out of his grasp, stopping his movements of massaging her breasts. It became all too clear when Carly placed her hands on his shoulders and impaled herself on him. The transition from nothing to everything was indescribable; to be connected to Carly this way after so many months apart was the most exquisite feeling in the world for Freddie. He could sense rather than see the urgency of every single one of Carly's upwards strokes as she moved over him. Freddie's hands moved to her waist in turn, elevating her body while thrusting up into her at the same time, her moans of arousal like oxygen to his hammering heart.

_It's the time of the season for lovin'_

Carly buried her face in Freddie's shoulder, willing herself to be as quiet as possible so that she and Freddie wouldn't wake up the kids sleeping upstairs. She had missed this immensely; this intimacy with Freddie that only two people can share when they'd been through what they'd been through together. And she was determined to make it last for as long as possible. Watching the movement of Freddie's mouth opening and closing while he grunted audibly caused Carly to angle her hips even more as she writhed above him. Without even being able to see his eyes, Carly could still tell that Freddie's eyes were rolling in their sockets by the way that he was frantically plunging into her core over and over, trying to bring them both closer to completion by the union of their bodies.

Freddie grunted and moaned into the darkness, loving the feel of Carly all around him. But he still felt like something was missing amidst the agonising bliss coursing through his body as they moved together.

"Carly," Freddie hissed in his attempt to pull back slightly from going over the edge too soon.

Carly made no response save to continue rolling her hips over Freddie's lap, causing him to gasp out in pleasure.

"Carly, baby, we have to stop for a second." Freddie attempted once more, sucking in a breath to stop a howl from escaping his lips.

Carly slowed down her movements above Freddie ever so slightly to stare at him in concern.

"What is it, Freddie? Did I do something wrong?" she asked in concern.

"No, you didn't do anything wrong, not at all. I love the idea of using a blindfold. But right now, I really just wanna see your face." Freddie answered truthfully in a gentle tone.

As relief swept over Carly's features, she gingerly moved her hands around Freddie's head and untied the blindfold, removing it from his eyes. Freddie blinked out the swirl of yellow dots which had began forming around his corneas as he finally laid eyes on his wife. She smiled down at her husband and moved forward once more, enveloping his lips in a searing kiss. Freddie's hand wound their way through Carly's black tresses while he kissed her lavishly, his lips sliding down her collarbone as he sucked on it gently. Carl closed her eyes at the feel of Freddie's lips coursing across her skin, sending her into rapturous purgatory.

"Carly?" Freddie asked tentatively as they moved together slowly.

"Hmm?" Carly asked distractedly, her eyes still shut.

"Mirame," Freddie implored softly, his hands going towards Carly's face and caressing her cheeks gently.

Carly opened up her eyes sharply at Freddie's words, feeling her heart thump even faster in her chest at the look of adoration evident in his tones.

"I want to see you," Freddie instructed seriously as he continued moving inside of Carly.

"Te amo," he declared through his ragged breath as he continued pumping in and out of Carly with practised strokes.

_Tell it to me slowly_

Carly gasped aloud and moved in sync with Freddie's thrusts, keeping her eyes locked on his all the while.

"Te adoro," she declared in turn amidst her panting while wrapping her legs around Freddie's waist.

_I really want to know_

Freddie's hands moved towards Carly's waist and gripped her tightly, his eyes trained on hers all the while. They watched each other come apart rapidly, their panting and ragged breathing meshed in with the dimness of the scene and the quiet of the house.

"Carly, I love you so much. Always," Freddie moaned throatily, on the verge of his breaking point.

"Freddie, I love you too. I'm never gonna stop." Carly returned huskily, her hands moving towards Freddie's shoulders as she held on tightly to him.

_It's the time of the season for lovin'_

Where their movements were rapid and frantic just minutes ago, they were now slower and more laboured, their bodies shivering and shuddering together in unison. Freddie felt Carly's orgasm vibrating through her body above him, so he hugged her tightly to his own body as he continued ramming into her. Carly rested her head on Freddie's shoulders, digging her fingernails deep into Freddie's back as she came down from her high.

Freddie surged up into Carly once more before his back hit the recliner with exhaustion. Then his hands went around Carly's back and just held onto her tightly, as if he were afraid to let her go. Carly was all too aware of the sudden change in Freddie's demeanour as she embraced him in turn, silently telling him that everything was okay. They stayed like that for a few minutes, savouring one another's touch and basking in the warm glow of the moonlight seeping through the curtains.

* * *

20 minutes later, Freddie and Carly were back in their own bed and lying naked beneath the covers. Freddie was lying on his back, his arm draped around Carly's back while half of her body lay prostrated across his bare chest, one of her arms wrapped around his waist. Though they were both spent from their excessive lovemaking, their eyes were wide open: Carly staring off to the side while Freddie stared intently at the ceiling. In spite of sharing a cataclysmically intimate moment together in their living room, Carly still couldn't help feeling Freddie's absence, in spite of him lying right beside her.

"What are you thinking about, Freddie?" Carly asked softly after several seconds of silence.

Freddie sighed heavily before answering.

"I was thinking about the hospital, when you went into labour." He answered soberly.

Freddie could still see it in his mind's eye as clearly as if it had just occurred seconds ago:

_Sometimes it seems that the going is just too rough_

_And things go wrong no matter what I do_

_Now and then it seems that life is just too much_

_But you've got the love I need to see me through_

_The doctors and nurses were all milling frantically around Carly as she continued screaming at the top of her lungs. The cry sent a shock wave through his system, as if he were drowning in freezing cold water. He would do anything to make it stop, to just end hers and their baby's suffering…_

"I had an out of body experience while I was holding your hand in the delivery room." Freddie continued slowly.

"How so?" Carly asked calmly, sitting up in bed with her elbows pursed beneath her, the duvet covering her lower torso while she listened to Freddie.

"It was like…I blacked out for a minute or two. One minute, I was there with you, and the doctors and the nurses, urging you to keep pushing. The next minute…it just disappeared, all of it. That's when I started remembering things from when Sam went into labour with Carly." Freddie responded uncertainly.

"What kind of things?" Carly asked hesitantly.

"The screaming."

_Sam had screamed so much that day; worse than when she was excited, worse than when she was irate. She was screaming like her body was being torn in half and set on fire at the same time. There was so much blood; he had never seen so much blood in his entire life on someone who was still alive and breathing… _

_Time after time I think, "Oh Lord what's the use?"_

_Time after time I think it's just no good_

_Sooner or later in life, the things you love you lose_

_But you got the love I need to see me through_

"It was a miracle that both she and Carly even made it through the impromptu surgery at all." Freddie answered, his eyes still trained on a spot on the ceiling.

This was the first time that Carly could recall Freddie ever speaking so openly and honesty about that fateful day in the hospital when they both lost the person they loved most in the world. It sent a cold shiver through her entire body, thinking about what must've gone through Freddie's head all the while.

"James told me a few weeks ago that he found you in the maternity ward on that day when I went into labour with Sam before you came to the operating room. What were you doing down there?" Carly questioned as cautiously as possible, afraid that Freddie might clam up if she pressed him too much and too soon.

"I was so anxious to get to you, Carly and my mom that I kinda got lost. Somehow I ended up right outside the room where…Sam spent her last days and weeks in the hospital. That's when it all came screaming back to me in full force. That's where James found me and told me which operating room you were in." Freddie explained as calmly as possible.

"That's why you freaked out when they had to perform a C-section on me to get Sam out. You were reliving the day of Carly's birth all over again." Carly stated morosely as the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together in her mind.

"I guess I just panicked when that complication arose. I didn't realise that I'd still been holding onto all of that fear and paranoia for all these years. I was just so happy when I found out you were pregnant and that we were going to have a baby; I didn't even think about it what might happen if Sam came a few weeks earlier than we intended." Freddie went on dejectedly.

"Freddie, you couldn't have known. Neither of us could've prepared for that. It happened and it was scary, for me too. But knowing you were there, holding my hand and telling me that everything was going to be okay (even though you couldn't have possibly known that) helped me get through that day. But now, we can finally put it behind us. Because we have a beautiful and healthy baby girl sleeping peacefully in her crib down the hall. We're so lucky, Freddie." Carly answered seriously.

_Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air_

_I know I can count on you_

_Sometimes I feel like saying "Lord I just don't care"_

_But you've got the love I need to see me through_

"I know, Carly. I wouldn't be able to get up every single day without holding onto that. Knowing that you (the woman that I love) and my two girls are healthy and stable is everything to me. You have to know that I would do almost any and everything to protect the three of you." Freddie stated firmly, the stinging in his eyes more relentless than ever.

"I do know that, Freddie. But you don't have to carry that burden alone. I can't make you any guarantees about what the future holds, whether you and I will even be on this earth tomorrow. But as long as I'm still living and breathing, I will always be here. I will always be here for you, Freddie, for our family. I love you so much." Carly declared sincerely, choking slightly as tears began running steadily down her cheeks.

"I love you too. Come here," Freddie implored gently, overwhelmed by Carly's sudden influx of emotions.

_When food is gone you are my daily meal_

_When friends are gone I know my savior's love is real_

_You know it's real_

Carly acquiesced as she moved into Freddie's warm and reassuring embrace as he held her tightly to his chest. Carly closed her eyes and listened attentively to the throbbing of Freddie's heart beneath her, the sound instantly putting her at ease. Freddie in turn held Carly close, listening carefully to her soft breathing beneath while she hugged his waist tightly. The touch of her hands and breath soothed him and made him feel whole again. He couldn't imagine lying next to anyone else but her for what remained of his lifetime and feeling that same stillness that he felt in that moment. When Freddie finally lifted his hands away from Carly's back and brought her face up towards his, he was relieved to see that she was smiling contently once more, albeit slightly more self-conscious than usual.

_You got the love_

_You got the love_

_You got the love_

_You got the love_

_You got the love_

_You got the love_

"What's wrong?" he asked with a small chuckle.

Carly wrinkled her nose before she answered.

"I feel stupid now for what happened downstairs." She admitted awkwardly.

"Why?" Freddie asked in alarm.

"Because…you were trying to distract yourself from thinking about all these painful things and I came into the living room and well…seduced you." Carly explained abashedly.

Freddie laughed openly at this suggestion and cupped Carly's cheeks gently in his hands.

"Carly, there's nothing to be sorry about. I'm glad that you came downstairs when you did. What you did was incredible, all of it. Especially the sexy strip tease and the blindfold routine." Freddie offered genuinely, causing Carly to blush.

"You didn't think it was too weird or too kinky?" Carly asked hesitantly.

"Of course not. I always like trying new stuff with you, especially in the bedroom." Freddie answered truthfully with a suggestive wink.

"I was just so worried that…you didn't find me attractive anymore after I'd given birth." Carly admitted nervously.

"Carly, how could you possibly think that? You're beautiful, inside and out. It wouldn't matter to me if you over-inflated like a hot air balloon or shrunk down to the size of a Smurf. I'd still love you no matter what." Freddie declared without hesitation as he kissed Carly's forehead tentatively.

"I love you, Freddie. You always say the right words to make me feel better." Carly admitted, a warm and fuzzy sensation coursing through her chest.

"Speaking of words…while we were having sex earlier, did you say 'quiero despertar cansado de su amor.'?" Freddie asked as an afterthought.

"Yes." Carly answered simply.

"You said, 'I want to wake up tired from your love' in Spanish to me while we were making love?" Freddie reiterated in amazement.

"Uh-huh." Carly responded self-consciously.

"Where have you been all my life?" Freddie demanded in exhilaration before enveloping Carly's lips in a searing kiss.

"You liked it?" Carly asked nervously while biting her bottom lip when they broke apart.

"Liked it? I loved it, Carly. It really only took you a few weeks to learn all those Spanish phrases?" Freddie asked in amazement.

"Uh-huh. I bought a phrase book and listened to a few tapes. And I also got some help from Xavier with pronunciation and stuff." Carly explained quickly.

"Who's Xavier?" Freddie demanded, bristling up ever so slightly with jealousy.

"Xavier. I introduced you to him months ago, Freddie. He's one of the crew members from work and he's Spanish. Don't tell me you're actually jealous?" Carly asked disbelievingly, laughing a little at Freddie's reaction.

"Tell you what. I won't be jealous of Xavier teaching you Spanish if you let me give you some lessons every once in a while." Freddie answered diplomatically.

"You mean it?" Carly asked eagerly.

"Of course, if you want me to teach you, that is." Freddie pointed out reasonably.

"Of course I want you to teach me. When do we start?" Carly questioned enthusiastically.

"How 'bout right now, while I have your undivided attention?" Freddie asked smoothly, his lips ghosting along Carly's supple neckline as he leaned into her.

Carly sighed pleasurably and closed her eyes at the feel of Freddie's hands on her breasts.

"I'd better do my best to impress you then," Carly answered in a husky tone as her hands slid over the planes of Freddie's smooth chest.

"If you play your cards right, you might just be able to sleep your way to the top." Freddie teased before flipping Carly onto her back and kissing her sumptuously.

Then he began muttering a series of carefully chosen Spanish words in a low voice in Carly's ear that made her moist with anticipation as she hitched her legs around his waist and pulled him closer.

* * *

**Musical References:**

**1) **"**Come On Closer" by Jem**

**2) **"**Clothes Off" by Gym Class Heroes ft. Patrick Stump**

**3) **"**Time Of The Season" by The Zombies**

**4) **"**You Got The Love" by Florence and the Machine**

**

* * *

**

**List of Spanish Phrases Used:**

**1) **"**Tengo Ganas" = I'm horny**

**2) **"**Hazme el amor" = Make love to me**

**3) **"**Necesito Sentirte" = I need to feel you**

**4) **"**Me vuelvos loco" = You drive me crazy**

**5) **"**Me encantes mi preciosa" = You enchant me, my precious**

**6) **"**Te deseo" = I want/desire you**

**7) **"**Quiero hacerte el amor" = I want to make love to you**

**8) **"**Quiero despertar cansado de su amor" = I want to wake up tired from your love**

**9) **"**Bésame" = Kiss me**

**10) **"**Tocame" = Touch me**

**11) **"**Mirame" = Look at me**

**12) **"**Te amo" = I love you**

**13) **"**Te adoro" = I adore you**

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note: Alright, what's the verdict? Do I need to be locked away for my overtly dirty mind? I got tons of inspiration from MonkeyXMonkey's "The Cum Game" (a very sexy Cam story), which helped me get into Spanish mode a la Carly ; ) I hope the Spanish words and phrases meshed well with the English dialogue, I'll let you lot be the judge of that. I know I might lose half of my readership for saying this, but this is unfortunately the final lemon for the story. But I hope some of you will still keep reading the story till the end because I desperately need the validation. Thank you all, you've been a wonderful crowd. Snapplelinz out!**


	12. iFocus On The Future

**Author's Note: Hey, everybody? How ya'll doing? Muchas gracias to everyone who reviewed my final lemon for the story, you make my heart swell beyond its normal capacity : ) Once again, I'm posting early because I'm hitting the parade circuit in town tomorrow to catch some more of this fabulous World Cup vibe all around me. It's amazing to think that right now in my life, I'm actually a part of something bigger than myself, part of a new piece of history somehow. It's humbling actually. Now onto the story...**

**Disclaimer: *sigh* Still don't own iCarly. Do what you will with that information ; )  
**

* * *

Both Freddie and Carly were sound asleep when they were both jolted awake by the sound of little Sam crying around 4am. Carly pushed her black tendrils away from her face as her foggy brain began to clear. Freddie rubbed sleep vigorously out of his eyes before glancing at Carly.

"It's okay, you go back to sleep. I'll go check on Sam." Freddie offered graciously.

"Thanks, hun." Carly mumbled sleepily before turning back onto her side.

Freddie got out from underneath the covers and hastily began changing into another pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt before exiting his and Carly's bedroom. He jogged down the hallway and entered the nursery and switched on the lamp. Sure enough, Sam was howling away in her crib, her tiny face screwed up tightly and beet-red, her tiny hands balled into fists and writhing about like a cellphone on vibrate. Freddie sighed subtly as he bent down over the crib and gently picked Sam up, placing her inside the crook of his curved arm.

"Hey, baby girl. Whatcha crying for, huh?" Freddie cooed softly while swinging little Sam gently in his arms to get her to stop crying.

This was definitely a lot different from Freddie's first experience with little Carly. Back then, he had been uncertain about just how good a father he'd be to his daughter in the wake of his young wife's untimely death. It had taken him several weeks before he was able to hold Carly and not succumb to insurmountable grief coursing through his bones. But he'd made it through somehow, they both had. And now he had a smart and beautiful daughter to show for it. Freddie had never known a moment when he had felt more like a father, until that night when Carly was a month old and he was finally ready to start living his life again.

This was very different indeed. This time, it wasn't as bittersweet as before to walk into the nursery and hold his second daughter in his arms. This time, he wouldn't have to do it all alone. Because the woman that he loved was sleeping just a few paces away, safe and sound. And their baby was happy, healthy and alive. And that's all that really mattered.

He laid Little Sam down onto the baby changing station and checked her diaper.

"Hmm, still clean." Freddie murmured to himself while little Sam continued crying steadily.

He began pacing silently around the room, cooing and whispering soothing words to Little Sam while she continued howling at the top of her lungs. Thinking that it might be better to move his boisterous little troubadour to the confines of the living room so that she wouldn't wake up her older sister and mother, Freddie exited the nursery with Sam in his arms, trying to make as little noise as possible as he proceeded down the stairs. He made his way through the dark kitchen towards the refrigerator and retrieved a bottle of milk. He then heated it up on the stove for a few minutes and walked into the living room with that and his baby girl in his arms.

"Here we go. How's that?" Freddie asked softly as he began feeding Sam from her bottle.

Sam began gurgling softly while her little mouth sucked frantically on the teat of the bottle, greedily drinking her milk as the seconds passed.

"I guess you take after Sam Puckett in more ways than one," Freddie remarked dryly, shaking his head while gazing down at his daughter.

He removed the bottle from Sam's mouth when it looked like she was finished drinking. He continued gazing down at her while she looked back up at him, her big brown eyes shining with curiosity.

"Now that you're done drinking your bottle, what are we going to do with you? Both of us are too wide awake to go to sleep now." Freddie murmured pensively while pondering on what to do next.

A big smile crept on Freddie's face when he came up with a solution.

"I've got it. I know it's a little early on in your life to start teaching you this. But sooner or later, I'm gonna start losing all of my hair when the boys start banging on our front door, requesting an audience with you. So when that day comes, I think you should be prepared. Now it's real easy to do, so follow my lead." Freddie instructed quietly.

He propped little Sam up against his chest and cradled her back with his two hands. Then he began swaying to and fro with her in his arms and humming softly.

"Someday, when I'm awfully low, when the world is cold. I will feel a glow, just thinking of you. And the way you look tonight." Freddie crooned in a low voice as he held his daughter close.

Carly tossed and turned from left to right before laying on her back once more, sighing loudly. A few minutes ago, she had been exhausted from all of hers and Freddie's 'activities' during the night. But now that Sam had woken both her and Freddie up with her crying, Carly found that she couldn't fall asleep again. Curiosity getting the better of her, Carly slipped into one of her favourite light blue silken night shirts and tiptoed across the hallway to the nursery. Frowning slightly upon encountering just empty space, Carly suddenly heard the sound of singing drifting in from the living room downstairs. She descended the steps slowly and came across a pleasant sight.

_Yes you're lovely, with your smile so warm  
And your cheeks so soft,  
There is nothing for me but to love you,  
And the way you look tonight.  
_

One of Carly's hands moved up towards her cheek while she gazed in wonder at the sight before her. She watched Freddie clearly dancing and singing with their daughter in his arms with unrepressed delight. A feeling of contentment stole over Carly while watching the scene before her unfold. A grin crept onto her face as she listened intently to Freddie's crooning which enveloped the entire room. As Freddie turned around on the spot with Sam in his arms, he gave a start when he saw Carly standing at the entrance to the living room, watching them both with an immeasurable expression on her face.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Freddie asked with a sheepish smile on his face.

"Uh-uh. I couldn't fall asleep after Sam started crying; I thought I'd come and check up on her and see if everything was okay. Am I interrupting?" Carly asked apologetically, her eyes locked on their baby girl lying peacefully in Freddie's arms.

"No, of course not. She was thirsty, so I heated up one of her bottles and gave it to her." Freddie explained softly.

"You didn't have to do that. You could've asked me to breastfeed her." Carly pointed out lightly.

"I didn't want to wake you. Besides, Dr. Barnes said it was okay for us to start Sam off gradually on a regular bottle to wean her off of your breast milk slowly." Freddie replied reasonably.

"Hmm, and here I was thinking that you'd relish the thought of seeing my breasts on display in the living room again." Carly stated slyly while biting her bottom lip.

"Um…as much as I like your breasts, I thought you might want to rest after our 'earlier activities'." Freddie answered hoarsely, trying to keep his voice normal in case Sam started crying again.

Carly couldn't stop herself from giggling at Freddie's obvious embarrassment at what she'd said. Even in the dim light, she could tell that his cheeks were a faint shade of rouge from blushing profusely. She surmised that Sam's presence in the room had stopped Freddie from replying in kind to her flirty banter. It always amused her that he still had a facet of innocence about him, like the boy she used to know back in Bushwell Plaza who blushed every time she used to smile at him. They had both changed so much over time, and more for the better too.

"I'm just teasing you, Freddie. So what were you doing before I came in?" Carly asked pleasantly as she moved closer towards her husband and her baby.

"Well, I thought I'd teach Sam how to dance." Freddie explained quietly.

"So soon? I thought we were light years away from that particular rite of passage." Carly remarked in surprise.

"It's never too soon to learn how to start dancing. My mom started teaching me when I first learned how to walk." Freddie answered wistfully.

"Really? I think I was about 4 years old when I remember first dancing with my Dad." Carly mused nostalgically.

"Your mom was still alive then, right?" Freddie asked curiously.

Carly nodded and smiled as she thought back on the past.

"Yeah, she was. She always went to turn on the CD player and I would put my feet on my Dad's and he would twirl around on the spot with me. My mom always sat on the sofa in the living room just watching us with a big smile on her face, like there was no where else she'd rather be than right there with us." Carly responded seriously.

"That sounds nice." Freddie remarked slowly, locking his eyes with Carly.

"It really was." Carly responded, matching his tone.

"May I have this dance?" Freddie asked suavely, extending his free hand towards Carly while the other hand held Sam close to his chest.

Carly grinned, feeling like a teenager all over again when she laced hers and Freddie's fingers together.

"I thought you'd never ask." She whispered demurely as she moved closer towards him.

With their hands still intertwined, Carly and Freddie stood very close to one another so as to keep a firm grip on Sam while they swayed together on the spot, staring deeply into each other's eyes. Freddie smiled broadly before leaning over Sam's tiny head and kissing Carly slowly on the lips as they continued twirling around on the spot. Sam's eyes were wide open now while her small head craned back and forth to stare between her parents in what could only be described as wonder as the three of them danced together.

_With each word your tenderness grows,  
Tearing my fear apart...  
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose,  
It touches my foolish heart. _

Little Carly, who had been asleep minutes ago, exited her bedroom feeling thirsty and in need of a glass of milk. She descended slowly, rubbing her sleepy eyes blearily when she encountered a strange sight. Her dad and step-mom appeared to be dancing together. But what made the scene so strange was the fact that they appeared to be balancing what looked like her baby sister between them while they swayed together on the spot.

_Lovely ... Never, ever change.  
Keep that breathless charm.  
Won't you please arrange it?__'Cause I love you_

_ust the way you look tonight._

"Hey, what's going on?" Carly Marissa asked sleepily with a yawn.

"Hey, Carly, you're up. Did we wake you?" Carly asked apologetically as she slowly disentangled herself from Freddie so that he could hold Sam more securely.

"No. I couldn't sleep, so I came downstairs to get some milk. Why is everybody awake?" Carly Marissa asked curiously.

"Sam started crying earlier, so we brought her down here so that she wouldn't wake you up." Freddie explained patiently.

"Why is she crying? Is she okay?" Carly Marissa asked nervously, having some knowledge of the complications that arose after Sam's birth.

"She's fine, honey. Just behaving the way a baby should." Carly replied kindly while placing her hand around her younger counterpart's shoulder.

"Actually, I was teaching your baby sister how to dance to get her to go back to sleep." Freddie informed his older daughter.

"Really? Isn't it a little soon for that?" Carly Marissa asked quizzically.

"It's never too soon to learn to dance; it's an important rite of passage. I started teaching you when you first learned how to walk, kiddo." Freddie said airily to Carly Marissa.

"Didn't Grandma once enrol you in a mother-daughter dance competition when you were little too, Daddy?" Carly Marissa asked innocently, causing Carly to snigger loudly in response.

"No she didn't, you must've heard wrong, Carly-Bear." Freddie answered hurriedly, giving his wife a quelling stare to get her to stop laughing. _  
_

"Something tells she didn't," Carly quipped slyly while playfully nudging Freddie's shoulder with her shoulder blade.

"Grandma has her moments, but I still can't believe she was really that kooky when you were a kid, Dad." Carly Marissa mused wonderingly.

"Trust me, sweetheart. It's not hard to imagine when you're living through it." Freddie retorted dryly while tapping little Carly's nose affectionately with a lone finger.

"Reminds me of someone I have to interview next week." Carly murmured absent-mindedly.

Little Carly was then struck with an idea at Carly's statement.

"Do I have to go back to bed again?" she asked meekly of her parents.

"Why do you ask?" Carly asked curiously.

"It's just that you promised I could watch the footage of your last interview before they aired it next week. Can we watch it now?" Little Carly asked enthusiastically of Carly while beaming broadly.

As it had turned out, Carly had gone for an audition with yet another TV network months ago when she had first discovered she was pregnant as a way of fulfilling her dream of one day having her own talk show. She had only done it because a friend of hers who happened to also be a radio personality had recommended the TV station to her, saying that there were looking for someone with her credentials to start a new lifestyle programme on their network. The CEO of the network and the director of the new show had been thoroughly impressed with Carly's audition, praising her stage presence and natural charisma that came through on camera.

It wasn't long before Carly and her legal representation had sat down with the heads of the TV station to negotiate a 2-year contract which would be extended if the programme gained a strong viewership during that time. As bittersweet as her parting from WILD 94.5 had been, Carly had taken to her new job like a duck to water, enjoying being back in front of the camera immensely; it was almost as if she were back in front of the camera along with Sam and Freddie behind the lens, rehearsing through yet another episode of iCarly. And so, Carly's very own talk show, 'Life-styling with Carly Shay' was born. She was finally exactly where she was supposed to be in her life.

"Honey, it's almost 5am and you've gotta be up for school in a little while." Freddie pointed out frankly.

"Pretty please, Dad. I'm not even tired, so you won't have to wake me up again. Please, Mom?" Little Carly questioned in that winning voice of hers.

Carly glanced at Freddie and smiled benignly, unable to resist the look of euphoria in her oldest daughter's eyes.

"Oh, I'm sure we can make an exception just this once, Freddie. Besides, we are all awake and I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep now anyway. How 'bout I make us some hot chocolate?" Carly asked pleasantly of her younger counterpart.

"With whipped cream and extra sprinkles?" Carly Marissa asked hopefully.

"And those little marshmallows that you like so much." Carly answered with a wink.

"Sweet. I'll give you a hand." Carly Marissa offered brightly as she skipped ahead of Carly into the kitchen.

"Freddie, would you mind putting the DVD in so long?" Carly asked quickly after following Carly Marissa as she began rummaging through the pantry for hot chocolate ingredients.

"Sure, sweetheart." Freddie answered stoically.

With little Sam still propped up delicately against his chest, Freddie used his free hand to take the DVD out its plastic cover before placing it inside the DVD player. He retrieved one of the baby blankets lying on the living room table and wrapped little Sam up nice and snugly before plonking himself down onto the sofa. The two Carly's entered the living room once more, carrying two trays with three steaming mugs of freshly-made hot chocolate and another bottle of milk for Sam in case she needed to be fed again.

"You cold, Carly-Bear?" Freddie asked curiously, watching his older sister shivering slightly.

"A little bit. Did I leave my night blanket down here?" Carly Marissa questioned quickly.

"Check your Dad's recliner." Carly suggested evenly without a second's hesitation.

Carly Marissa acquiesced and switched on the living room lamp located atop the coffee table and moved soundlessly towards her father's favourite recliner. Instead of finding her blanket, Carly Marissa frowned pointedly at a collection of strange objects lying on the floor.

"Mom, what are yours and Dad's clothes doing on the floor?" Carly Marissa inquired in bewilderment.

Both Freddie and Carly's eyes widened in alarm before they both whipped around simultaneously. Sure enough, Carly's white blouse, Freddie's sweat pants and a host of other items of clothing lay strewn haphazardly all across the carpet. After their spontaneous lovemaking, the two of them had simply gone back to bed without taking their clothes upstairs with them. Freddie opened his mouth several times in perfect imitation of a goldfish while Carly's mouth was stretched wide in a comical stance before either she or Freddie were able to formulate coherent sentences.

"Well uh, that's um, my pyjamas and uh, your Mom's work clothes." Freddie offered lamely, causing Carly to stare at him in amazement.

"Mom's work clothes? But where are your work pants?" Carly Marissa questioned quizzically of Carly.

"Uh…I already put it in the dryer, honey. But I uh…must've dropped the rest of the clothes while coming through the living room on my way to the laundry room." Carly explained rapidly, feeling shiny beads of sweat creasing her forehead.

"But you don't have to come through the living room to get to the kitchen," Carly Marissa pointed out in confusion.

"Oh, I know. But your Dad left his socks in the living room too and I already had the rest of the clothes in my hands, so…" Carly ventured on facetiously.

"What's this?" Carly Marissa asked in bewilderment, picking up the red blindfold.

Freddie snatched it quickly out of her hands and placed it behind his back.

"That's nothing. That's uh, my…handkerchief. I blew my nose earlier." Freddie responded stupidly while chuckling nervously.

"Why don't I just take these clothes and put them into the dryer before we watch the DVD?" Carly questioned promptly and practically sprinted to the kitchen with her arms full of clothing, trying her best not to hyperventilate.

"Does this mean I'm allowed to leave my clothes lying out any time I want?" Carly Marissa pressed eagerly of her father, who was blushing furiously.

"Nice try," Freddie returned dryly, coming to his senses ever so slightly.

Carly returned to the living room a few seconds later, her cheeks tinged with rouge as well while she glanced shiftily at Freddie out of the corner of her eye.

"Mind if I hold her?" Carly asked softly, referring to Sam, who looked about ready to nod off as a way of changing the subject.

"Sure," Freddie answered with a small smile before gingerly handing Carly the baby.

When Carly was sitting comfortably with Sam lying against her stomach, Carly Marissa came to sit in-between her and Freddie, her eyes glued to the screen as she began watching Carly rehearse through her script for that particular episode of her TV show. Every now and then, Freddie and Carly stole secret glances at one another, smiling and then looking away each time.

Then Carly's eyes lingered on little Carly, who was watching TV contentedly. If it was at all possible, the smile on Carly's widened even more while she gazed adoringly at the young woman before her who now called her 'mom', feeling something that felt like strings tugging ceaselessly at her chest. Then she gazed down at her baby girl, who was finally asleep and felt a similar feeling of content euphoria building up slowly inside of her. And finally, she looked at Freddie's side profile while his eyes stayed glued to the TV. Sometimes, Carly felt like pinching herself literally because all of this felt like some elaborate dream, like it was impossible for so many good and precious things to happen to one person in a lifetime. And yet, here was the proof, sitting all around her, filling her heart with such immeasurable joy that she was intensely scared of ever losing it, even for a split second. But she couldn't stop herself from loving it all, from loving each of them, not for a single moment.

"So much for not being tired," Freddie teased lightly after a minute or so.

Carly looked over at him and followed his gaze downwards, where Carly Marissa's head rested in his lap, the rest of her body curled up on the sofa, sound asleep.

"Maybe my segment was really boring." Carly teased lightly, referring to her interview.

"It was so not boring. You're always amazing on camera, Carly. You always have been." Freddie praised sincerely with an easy smile on his face while regarding his wife.

"Thanks, Freddie. That means a lot." Carly returned softly.

"Just tellin' it like it is." Freddie stated with a nonchalant air.

"I can't believe we forgot to pick up our clothes earlier," Carly squeaked with an embarrassed chuckle while slapping a palm to her forehead.

"I know. Do you think she bought our story?" Freddie asked while glancing down nervously at his daughter's sleeping form.

"I have no idea. She's half yours, and you always said that you weren't gullible." Carly responded laughingly.

"Well, we both know that's not true at the best of times." Freddie retorted wryly.

"Then, she's half Sam's too, which is scary in itself. 'Mama' always had moves like a ninja; she could already know about the activities of a married couple." Carly reasoned apprehensively.

Freddie's eyes widened in horror at Carly's suggestion.

"Please don't say things like that about my 10-year old daughter. I want her to stay innocent and blissfully ignorant till she's at least 40. Besides, where and when would she have already heard about sex?" Freddie demanded sceptically.

"Where else? From her friends and classmates at school. Kids these days aren't naïve about these things, Freddie." Carly pointed out rationally.

"Oh God, I'm way too young to have that conversation with Carly. She's way too young to hear me have that conversation with her." Freddie bemoaned in a startled voice.

"Freddie, time-out. Carly may already have her suspicions about what it is that married couples do behind closed doors, but she's still a few years away from that particular 'conversation'. And it's not like you'll have to do it alone; I'll be there to answer any questions she may have for the 'female side of things'. For both of the times we have to do it." Carly reasoned lovingly, lacing their fingers together with her free hand.

Freddie glanced back at Carly, his face mirroring hers before his eyes roamed back downwards towards their two daughters, dreaming blissfully in a world of their own.

"I love you so much," he whispered almost fiercely as the glow of the lamp hit their faces.

"I know." Carly answered, an airy grin playing on her mouth while she spoke.

"I love you too, Freddie. I love all of this, every single moment we have together with our family, always." Carly whispered back more seriously, her chocolate brown eyes penetrating Freddie's hazel ones.

"Me too. But we're gonna have to be way more covert with hiding our 'sex clothes' from our kids in the future." Freddie stated, the corners of his mouth trembling from the effort not to burst out laughing.

Freddie savoured the sound of Carly's scintillating laughter emitted from her chest while she struggled to stay quiet, bringing back a series of flashbacks from their 'activities' hours ago. God, he loved her so much. It wasn't long before their bodies were shaking convulsively as they both began laughing hysterically, covering their mouths to stifle the impending sound.

"What's so funny?" Freddie asked when both their spontaneous laughter had finally died down.

"It's just that…I never thought we'd become the kind of couple that hides our 'sex clothes' from our kids." Carly answered truthfully, letting out one last guffaw at the absurdity of it all.

"It's just one crazy adventure after the next with us." Freddie agreed wistfully while staring off into space with a small smile on his face.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Carly stated, turning to face Freddie once more with a serious expression.

"Me neither." Freddie concurred, matching her tone as their eyes stayed locked on each another for the longest time.

And so they sat together, their sleeping treasures between them, focused on the future reflected in each other's eyes, a glowing talisman which brightened with each second that crept closer towards approaching dawn.

* * *

**Musical References:**

**1) "The Way You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra**

**

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**

**Author's Note: Alright, what did you think? Bit of a filler chapter, but I thought I would go all mushy this close to the end. If I thought that ending this story soon would ensure that I finally got off the iCarly train, then I thought wrong. So far, I've watched iBeat The Heat and iFight Shelby Marx all in one week and I am very much glued to the iCarly train. This might give me inspiration to write my very first femslash iCarly fic for Carly and Shelby Marx, I'll just have to see how long the flame of inspiration keeps burning. I'm going to post the final two chapters next week for your viewing pleasure and then it's tickets for this story. It's been a swell ride and you've all been a wonderful crowd. Peace, love and bacon, everyone!  
**


	13. iHave The Talk

**Author's Note: Hey, everyone! I hope you've all had a great week so far. Mine's been okay, except for being sick. I'm just coughing a lot, but I'm really bummed because I can't blow on my vuvuzela for the World Cup Final this Sunday. And on a side note, I'm super stoked that both Uruguay and Paraguay are out of the World Cup. Not only does Uruguay cheat (blatant hand ball by Suarez in the goalie net during their game against Ghana, thank you very much), but Paraguay's goalie also had the nerve to complain about their bus breaking down before heading for training for their game against France weeks ago and blaming it on South Africa. 'Cause let's call a spade a spade, P-Guay. A bus breaking down ain't the reason why ya'll lost ; ) A note to people with sticks stuffed up their you-know-what's: it's not a perfect world, get over it. Sometimes buses break down, even in more developed countries. Plus, South Africa wasn't in charge of the transport between soccer stadiums, FIFA was. So please direct your misguided criticisms towards them in future, okay, alrighty-bu-bye.**

**Okay, enough soccer rants from me, you can view both final chapters for this story today. Thank you so much to everyone out there in Fanfiction Land for making my story "iLost And Found" and its additional M-rated chapters such a success and an endless pleasure to write. **

**Disclaimer: No, I am not Dan Schneider and I do not own the rights to iCarly.  
**

* * *

_**Three years later…**_

**16 June, 2032**

After finding the next available parking bay in the crowded lot, one very harassed-looking Carly Benson got out of the driver's seat of her vintage BMW 7-series and shut the door with a loud bang. She then proceeded towards the back passenger seat where her overactive 3 year old daughter sat in her baby seat, wriggling frantically while she struggled to break free from the constraints of her seat belt. After whispering a few soothing words to get Sam to calm down, Carly gathered the toddler into her arms and locked the car with an idle flick of the remote. After retrieving Sam's pram from the trunk, Carly strapped her daughter inside and began walking hurriedly in the direction of the school.

It was just after 3pm that Wednesday afternoon and students were still filtering through the main entrance, making their way slowly towards either the school bus or their parents' cars, like they had all the time in the world. Carly politely weaved her way through the crowd of exuberant adolescents as she strolled through the brightly lit hallways past a multitude of lockers and classroom. Having been here on numerous occasions with Freddie for events such as prize-giving ceremonies, Science Fairs, PTA meetings and school plays, it took Carly a considerably short period of time to finally arrive at the main office.

The principal's office in turn was also another place that Carly was inherently familiar with, both her and Freddie having been called in on occasion for Carly Marissa's occasional scuffles or "misunderstandings" with her other classmates. For her own part, Carly Marissa got along relatively well with almost everyone she encountered in her life, but had a tendency to express her vivacious (and often domineering) personality in such a boisterous manner which often intimidated some of her peers. But somehow, this particular incident seemed different from Carly Marissa's usual differing of opinions with kids her own age, and that worried Carly a great deal. Carly rearranged her face into what she hoped was a polite mask as she approached the secretary's desk.

"Hi, Shirley, how are you? I'm here to see Principal Clayton." Carly began courteously while showing pearly whites.

"I'm fine thank you, Mrs. Benson, so lovely to see you as always. Principal Clayton is already waiting for you in his office. Just go right in." Shirley implored in a kindly manner with a wave of her petite hand towards the glass door framed in mahogany wood.

"Thank you, Shirley." Carly greeted politely.

She then knocked gently on Principal Clayton's office door.

"Come in."

Carly sucked in a deep breath and squared her shoulders before opening the door and closing it quietly behind her.

"Mrs. Benson, how lovely to see you again. Won't you please sit down?" Principal Clayton greeted in a winning tone, gesturing with his hand towards a comfortable chair in front of his desk.

"Thank you, Principal Clayton. How are you?" Carly asked graciously as she manoeuvred Sam's pram to occupy the space beside her.

"I can't complain. I see you've brought your youngest daughter with you. My, she's growing big." Principal Clayton noted sincerely, a warm smile creasing his face while regarding Sam's squirming features while she wriggled about in her pram.

"Thank you. Now, what can I do for you, Principal Clayton?" Carly questioned in a slightly impatient voice.

Principal Clayton cleared his throat loudly before answering, feeling awkward for the first time since Carly's arrival.

"Will your husband be joining us, Mrs. Benson?" Principal Clayton inquired abruptly, stalling ever so much.

"Unfortunately not, Principal Pal. He's attending a computer seminar in the Financial District today. Now, would you mind telling me why I've been summoned to your office today?" Carly asked with only the smallest trace of mirth evident in her voice.

"Ah, yes. The reason I called you and your husband today is because of your daughter, Carly." Principal Clayton began solemnly while pursing his hands together.

"Carly? What's happened to Carly? Is she okay?" Carly demanded all in one anxious breath.

"She's fine. But she was involved in a physical fight with one of her classmates during lunch today." Principal Pal answered wearily.

"A physical fight? Is Carly hurt?" Carly questioned in horror.

"Fortunately not, Mrs. Benson. But her classmate, Claire Stewart, has a black eye, which your daughter gave her." Principal Clayton responded ominously.

The mention of 'Claire Stewart' registered ever so slightly with Carly, but she couldn't remember the context in which she'd first heard the name of her daughter's classmate spoken.

"Carly punched someone?" Carly asked in amazement, wondering momentarily why this revelation came as a surprise to her in the least.

"I'm afraid so."

"Have you already spoken to her?"

"At lunch time."

"But I don't understand. Carly has always been a…spirited girl, but why would she do something like this? It just doesn't make any sense." Carly reasoned logically.

"Perhaps it would help to start at the beginning of the sordid tale." Principal Pal began with the hint of a smile ghosting across his face…

* * *

After her conversation with Principal Clayton (which took an astoundingly short period of time), Carly wheeled the pram out of the school's main office, little Sam squealing with delight at the movement all the while. A minute later, Carly made her way outside once more; but instead of heading back to the car, she turned off to the left in the parking lot and made her way towards the school's football field. She weaved her way through the bleachers, keeping a look-out for the girl's soccer team on the green turf. Carly was surprised to find her daughter sitting in the stands in the outfit she'd worn to school that day, sitting with her hands resting underneath her chin in a forlorn manner instead of practising drills in her soccer uniform with the rest of her team mates.

"Carly?"

Carly Marissa's eyes averted from the field to glance at her mother in surprise. Carly couldn't help noticing that her daughter's eyes had widened to the size of saucers which accentuated her guilt even more. With a sense of foreboding, Carly slowly pushed Sam's pram along the bleachers until she was standing directly below Carly Marissa.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Carly Marissa asked uncomfortably.

"Principal Clayton asked me to come see him." Carly offered simply.

Carly Marissa sighed in response, trying very hard to resist rolling her eyes since neither Carly and Freddie appreciated it a great deal when she did so.

"Figures." She quipped in an undertone.

"Mind if I sit down?" Carly asked casually.

Carly Marissa shrugged in a resigned manner while Carly un-strapped Sam from her pram and came to sit down next to her younger counterpart with her toddler in her arms.

"How come you're not practising today?" Carly inquired in an off-hand way, motioning with her eyes to the football field.

"Coach Lillard said I couldn't practise with the team today because of what happened at lunch." Carly Marissa replied miserably.

Carly nodded in response, knowing full well about Patricia Lillard's reputation of being kind of a hard-ass when it came to looking out for her girls' best interests, even if it meant making any of her players sit out of practise or a game if they misbehaved during school hours.

"How much did Principal Clayton tell you?" Carly Marissa questioned in a would-be casual tone.

Everything, but I want to hear it from you. Why did you give Claire Stewart a black eye, Carly?"

"Because she's a dipwad." Carly Marissa retorted callously.

"Carly Marissa, that is not a good reason to punch anyone out; I don't care how annoying they are." Carly scolded sternly.

"Now why did you really punch her in the face?" she asked more sternly.

"Because she made fun of me."

"About what?"

When Carly Marissa didn't make eye contact with her, Carly grew more worried with each passing second.

"Carly, look at me." She implored gently.

When she finally acquiesced, Carly noted that her daughter looked more miserable and uncomfortable than guilty and this did nothing to make her anxiety dissipate.

"What happened at lunch today?" Carly pressed in a soothing tone.

"Claire Stewart teased me about being a virgin."

Of all the possible answers in the universe, this had to be last on the list of Carly's expectations.

"_What? She did what?_" Carly exclaimed in utter shock.

Her mouth even began opening and closing in a perfect imitation of a goldfish while she pondered on this startling revelation.

"Carly, you're 13 years old! Why on earth would a girl in your class tease you about something like that?" Carly demanded in horror, trying to grapple with her bewildered thoughts.

"She said I was going to die a virgin." Carly Marissa answered grimly.

"What? Why did she say that?"

"Because…the school dance is coming up in 2 weeks time and all the girls in my grade have to ask a boy to be their date instead of the other way around. She was teasing Angela about not asking a boy to the dance yet, so I got in her face and told her to knock it off. Then Claire started teasing me and said I was too much of a tomboy to get a date for the dance. Then she said that she bet I'd never even kissed a boy before. That's when she said I'd probably die a virgin because no one would ever kiss me." Carly Marissa explained morosely.

_When I was 7_

_They said I was strange_

_I noticed that my eyes and hair weren't the same_

_I asked my parents if I was okay_

_They said you're more beautiful and that's the way_

"But why would she say something like that?" Carly questioned in bewilderment.

"I don't know. She said her mom always says that about her aunt who still isn't married and doesn't have kids. So she betted that the same thing would happen to me too." Carly Marissa responded sadly.

Carly couldn't believe what she was hearing. It seemed like just yesterday when she and Freddie had been talking about just how much Carly Marissa and her peers knew about sex, and she had been 10 years old at the time. Now she was 13 years old, and clearly even more confused about the entire affair.

"And that's when you punched her?" Carly asked excitably.

"Actually, I first called her a dumb fudge-wad. Then I punched her." Carly Marissa replied while blushing furiously.

That's when Carly remembered who Claire Stewart was. She was that snot of a girl who had tried to steal Carly Marissa's idea for her project for the Science Fair back in the 5th grade. Of course, Claire's mother had smoothed everything over in an annoyingly simpering way by dismissing it as just 'something that girls did' and that her Claire had just been playing a practical joke on Carly. She remembered Carly Marissa calling Claire Stewart a 'dumb fudge-wad' even then. She felt sudden warmth rushing to her cheeks, indignation coursing through her entire body.

_They show that they wish they had your smile_

_So my confidence was up for a while_

_I got real comfortable with my own style_

_I knew that they were only jealous cos_

"I can't believe she said that to you. As soon as your Dad gets home, I'm calling Claire's parents and then we're going to have a long and frank discussion about what they teach their daughter behind closed doors. I probably shouldn't be surprised by what comes out of Claire Stewart's mouth when her own mother dresses like a low-class Skunk bag going to work a corner –"

"Mom?" Carly Marissa asked timidly.

Her daughter's tone of voice snapped Carly out of her angry tirade immediately.

"Yes, honey?"

"Am I going to die a virgin?"

"Carly, of course not. That was a really stupid thing that Claire said to you. Maybe her parents should consider getting her tested-"

"I'm serious, Mom."

Carly locked her eyes with her daughter and sighed loudly.

"Carly, Claire doesn't know what she's talking about. You're beautiful, smart, funny and talented. Any boy in the 7th grade would be insane if they didn't want to be your date for the dance. As for the rest, everything happens at different times for everyone, which you don't have to worry about for a long while." Carly answered seriously.

_People are all the same_

_And we only get judged by what we do_

_Personality reflects name_

_And if I'm ugly, then so are you_

_So are you_

"But I've never been kissed before! What if I never get the chance?" Carly Marissa exclaimed dramatically.

Carly raised an eyebrow at this.

"What about Matthew, Carly-Bear? Didn't he kiss you back at Camp Dreamland almost 5 years ago and another time after that at one of our family vacations?" Carly reminded knowingly.

"That was on the cheek, Mom! Both times! I'm talking about a real kiss, lips to lips." Carly Marissa pressed insistently.

This conversation was entering dangerous territory and Carly had no way of stopping it. Ironically, this change in subject had perked little Sam up considerably since she had begun giggling and clapping her hands together just seconds before.

"Well, honey, there's no rush to have a real kiss. Everything happens in its own perfect time." Carly offered in what she hoped was a reassuring tone.

"When did you have your first real kiss, Mom?" Carly Marissa asked unexpectedly.

Carly really took her time answering this particular question. It seemed like a lifetime ago when she had shared her first real kiss with someone, long before Freddie Benson had declared his love for her and inadvertently changed her life forever.

"Uh, well…his name was Ben Hoobsher and it was the 5th grade. I was on a field trip with your Mom, your Dad and some of my other classmates. I was sitting on the grass eating some sandwiches that Uncle Spencer made for me when Ben came up to me with his packed lunch in his hand and a daisy that he had just picked near the pond. We ended up sharing our lunch together; then we kissed under a kumquat tree and his lips tasted like potato salad." Carly concluded wistfully, the memory making her momentarily nostalgic.

"Wow," Carly Marissa whispered in awe.

"How did it feel?" she asked conspiratorially.

"Kinda wet actually," Carly confessed glumly, her smile turning into a pensive frown.

When Carly Marissa stared at her quizzically, Carly elaborated further.

"Well it was his first kiss too, so it was pretty awkward for both of us and…you get the picture." Carly explained haphazardly with an abashed grin on her face.

"I still wish that I'd already had my first real kiss with a boy." Carly Marissa stated glumly, her hands resting beneath her chin.

"You will, honey. There's no rush."

"But I'm 13 already! You had your first kiss when you were 11!"

"It happens at different times for everyone, Carly. It's not like there's a ticking clock for when you absolutely have to kiss someone. I've heard that some women have had their first kiss when they were 30." Carly pointed out logically.

"_30? _That's so old! I can't wait that long!" Carly Marissa exploded dramatically.

"No one says you have to. You will get your real kiss, Carly. And when you do, make sure it's with someone who's a good kisser." Carly advised pleasantly.

"But what about everything else, like losing my virginity?" Carly Marissa pressed anxiously.

Carly sighed loudly at this. It was easy enough to explain the logistics of kissing to her 13-year old daughter. But how did one go about explaining the logistics of sex to that same impressionable child?

"Well, that's an entirely different story altogether." Carly answered grimly.

"Why?" Carly Marissa asked quietly.

"Before I say anything else, let me ask you something first. What do you know about sex?" Carly asked seriously, hoping this slight delay would give her enough time to regroup before plunging completely into the unknown.

"Well, just the stuff that I learnt about in Health Class. I know that boys have a penis and girls have a vagina. And I also know that babies are created through sex." Carly Marissa responded as succinctly as possible, hoping that would satisfy her mother.

"Well, all of that is true. Look, Carly, you're incredibly smart and extremely mature for your age. You've always been good at challenging other people's opinions and making informed decisions for yourself. All I can hope for at the end of the day is that you employ the same logic and wisdom when it comes to sex as you get older. I know it won't always be easy to do, especially now that you've hit puberty and your body is constantly changing. If you haven't already, you'll soon begin to feel…confused about your emotions and your identity. And you'll have these raging hormones that will also…confuse you and make you doubt yourself. What I can tell you to begin with is that sex isn't simple. It's complicated." Carly began uncertainly.

"But why?" Carly Marissa questioned intently.

"Because…sex is never just sex. It's more than just a physical activity; it's a connection that two people share for a particular moment in time, an emotional connection. Many of your peers and adults will tell you later in later that sex without strings attached is okay and that it doesn't require feelings, but it's simply not true, Carly. If you have sex too soon in your life, it can change you forever. Not just the act itself, but the consequences of the act too, like pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. You do know about sexually transmitted diseases right?" Carly probed hesitantly.

"Uh-huh. But my health teacher said that's why you need protection when you decide to do it. Don't condoms work to stop pregnancy and diseases?" Carly Marissa asked curiously.

"They're designed to, but they're only 97% effective, Carly. Which means that 3% of the time, they don't work. That's why I think at your age and even throughout high school, it's better just to be celibate and abstain from sex."

"You mean not having sex at all?"

"Exactly."

"But what about other stuff?"

"Like what?"

"Well…my other classmates said there are other things you can do with your boyfriend and girlfriend that isn't like sex. Like oral-"

"Okay! Time-out!" Carly interrupted abruptly.

She glanced down at Sam, who was chewing on one of her teddy bears in her pram, feeling unexpectedly nauseated. Their family doctor had once told her that sudden nausea in women her age was often a symptom of a heart attack, unlike men who experienced a shooting pain in their left arm. Carly idly wondered if she was about to go into cardiac arrest in the next 5 minutes the longer this conversation continued.

"We don't have to talk about any of that stuff right now. That can wait for another day when one of us isn't close to having an aneurism." Carly persisted more calmly, albeit it hoarsely since her mouth felt extremely dry.

"Okay, Mom. But how long should I abstain for?" Carly Marissa questioned quickly.

"Until you're ready." Carly replied simply.

"How will I know when I'm ready?" Carly Marissa asked nervously.

"I can't answer that personally for you, Carly. It all really depends on you and where you are in your life: physically, mentally and emotionally. And the person you're with is important too."

"When did you first lose your virginity?"

"In college."

"And Mom and Dad?"

"College too I think, but I think it creeped all of us out to even talk about it properly with each other."

"What was it like for you?"

"It was…okay. His name was Guy and he was my first serious college boyfriend. I was crazy about him." Carly admitted seriously.

"You dated a guy named Guy back in college?" Carly Marissa asked laughingly.

"Nobody's perfect. He had a cool car and really nice hair. The point is that I honestly wished that I had waited."

"How come?"

"Because…I liked him, sure. But I wasn't in love with him. If anything, I felt pressure from my peers and friends because they were all doing it and I didn't want to be the only one who hadn't. And he turned out to be a jerk because he cheated on me with one my classmates, so I felt cheap and humiliated at the end of it. I wish I had waited till I was ready and in love, like for someone like your Dad. It just makes it special and so much more meaningful. It's more than just an act, it's an expression of love and trust, that's why you should pick someone you really care for and who cares about you in return. Someone who will still be there in the morning when you wake up." Carly responded sincerely.

_There was a time when I felt like I cared_

_That I was shorter than everyone there_

_People made me feel like life was unfair_

_And I did things that made me ashamed_

"Wow, I never thought of that." Carly Marissa mused meditatively.

"Well, I hope you will from now on. I hope you know that no matter what happens, you can always come to me and your Dad about anything, and I mean anything. We'll always be here for you, especially when you're feeling confused and conflicted about anything in your life." Carly stated reassuringly, caressing her daughter's forearm tenderly.

"Thanks, Mom. I really appreciate that. And thanks for talking to me about this stuff." Carly Marissa responded meekly before enveloping Carly in a warm embrace.

"You're welcome. But if you don't mind, I'm gonna need to check for grey hairs when we get home." Carly teased lightly, most of her nausea finally dissipating.

"Can I ask you something else, Mom?"

"Shoot."

"Um, about my punishment. Ms. Wyatt (the teacher who pulled me off of Claire earlier) gave me detention for this Saturday morning. Do I still have to go?" Carly Marissa asked with a hopeful air.

"Absolutely. Look, Claire Stewart was being a major dip thong when she teased both you and Angela about something really personal. But you still had no right to hit her, Carly. In situations like that, you need to learn to take the high road. You're always going to have to deal with cruel and ignorant people, and using your fists to resolve a problem is never the answer. You are way too smart and classy for that kind of behaviour." Carly replied sternly.

_Cos I didn't know my body would change_

_I grew taller than them in more ways_

_But there will always be the ones who will say_

_Something bad to make them feel great_

"You used to tell Mom stuff like this whenever she got into fights at school too, right?" Carly Marissa questioned shrewdly.

"As a matter of fact I did, and it had no absolutely no effect on your Mom. But you're not your Mom. You've also got some of your Dad in you too, and he didn't use his fists in a fight. But that was mostly because he was a scrawny shrimp back in middle school, so he used to just run really fast…but you get what I mean." Carly explained hurriedly with a nervous chuckle.

"Okay, I'll try next time." Carly Marissa promised genuinely.

"That's all I ask. But just because you're not using your fists, that doesn't mean you don't have people in your corner. You have your friends and you have me, your Dad and your sister, and we'll always fight for you no matter what. And believe me, your Dad and I will be having words with Claire's parents about this. Some really colourful words." Carly returned with somewhat of a manic glint in her eye.

_Everybody talks bad about somebody_

_And never realises how it affects somebody_

_And you bet it won't be forgotten_

_Envy is the only thing it could be_

"Sweet." Carly Marissa stated with a broad grin.

"Come on, it's getting late. We'd better get home." Carly chided soothingly, getting to her feet.

Carly Marissa got to her feet too and followed her mother down from the bleachers as Carly began pushing Sam in her pram along the side-lines of the lush sports field. Carly Marissa walked tentatively beside her all the while, one of her hands going to the pram to help Carly push it along.

_People are all the same_

_And we only get judged by what we do_

_Personality reflects name_

_And if I'm ugly, then so are you_

_So are you_

"What kind of 'colourful' things are you going to say to Mr. and Mrs. Stewart?" Carly Marissa asked softly of Carly.

"Nothing too offensive. Maybe just a few shades of pink and orange." Carly replied with a smirk as she placed one arm around Carly Marissa's shoulder as they continued walking together towards the parking lot.

* * *

"I'm home!" Freddie called out while entering through the front door.

"Hey, honey! We're in the kitchen!" Carly yelled back.

Freddie loosened the tie around his collar and took off his jacket, hanging it on the coat rack adjacent to the front door. He then strolled into the kitchen and smiled broadly when he caught sight of his beautiful wife, attempting to feed their three year old daughter her dinner in her high chair. Just as Carly fed Sam another mouthful of mashed up yams, Freddie came up behind her and enveloped her in a tight hug, his hands going around her petite waist while his lips grazed against the side of her neck.

"Hello, wife." Freddie greeted suavely, planting a chaste kiss on Carly's cheek while savouring the scent of her shampoo wafting through his nostrils.

"Hello, husband." Carly greeted back, matching his tone as she momentarily put Sam's plastic spoon down and allowed her hands to cup the sides of Freddie's face as she leant into his embrace and kissed him enthusiastically on the lips.

When they broke apart, Freddie's smile increased even more as he turned to face his youngest daughter.

"Hey, Sammy. How was your day, Cupcake?" Freddie cooed eagerly as he leant over his bundle of joy and began peppering her face with little kisses, causing her to giggle loudly.

"Dadda," Sam greeted back with a wide grin on her face while clapping enthusiastically.

Freddie sighed loudly while he gazed at his daughter.

"That never gets old." He murmured in contentment as he turned to face Carly once more.

"How was your day?" Carly asked Freddie gently when she was back in his arms again.

"Okay. The seminar was pretty boring. How 'bout yours?" Freddie questioned tenderly as he swayed slightly on the spot with Carly in his arms.

"Hmm, really long." Carly admitted tiredly, her face buried deep into Freddie's chest.

"Hey, where's Carly?" Freddie asked suddenly, glancing around the kitchen as he realised his oldest daughter's absence.

"She's upstairs in her bedroom." Carly answered slowly, finally taking her face away from Freddie's chest to gaze up at him.

Judging by the look in Carly's eye, Freddie could tell that there was more to this statement.

"What happened today?" he asked quietly.

"Carly got detention for getting into a fight with another girl during lunch today." Carly replied frankly.

"Is she okay? Is she hurt?" Freddie asked rapidly.

Carly shook her head vigorously and Freddie heaved a sigh of relief.

"She really got into a fight? With who?"

"Claire Stewart. She's in Carly's class."

"Claire Stewart…Stewart, why does that surname sound so familiar? Wait a minute, isn't Claire Stewart that really mean girl who tried to take credit for Carly's project for the Science Fair back in the 5th grade?" Freddie asked shrewdly.

"The very same." Carly responded dully.

"Why did Carly get into a fight with her?"

"Because Claire made fun of Angela for not having a date to their school dance. Then Carly got in Claire's face to defend Angela and Claire proceeded to tease Carly about being too much of a tomboy and about never being kissed before. Then she told our daughter that she would die a virgin. And that's when our daughter punched her in the face." Carly concluded crisply.

Freddie's head was reeling with shock and bewilderment at what his wife was currently telling him.

"I can't believe this. Claire really said that to Carly?" Freddie demanded heatedly.

"Uh-huh. Coach Lillard didn't let Carly practise for soccer today." Carly informed Freddie morosely.

"Aw, poor kid. She must be really bummed out." Freddie mused sympathetically.

"She was earlier, but I think she's a little better now. Oh God, I wish you'd been with me at the school earlier, Freddie. I ended up having 'the talk' with her." Carly lamented woefully when she had finally disentangled herself from Freddie's embrace.

"What talk?"

"'The Talk', Freddie." Carly reiterated by widening her eyes dramatically for emphasis.

Freddie's eyes widened of their own accord when he finally got Carly's meaning.

"What? Why?" Freddie demanded incredulously.

"Why? What do you mean, Freddie? Carly was upset about the things that Claire said to her and she wanted some answers. So I gave her some." Carly explained slightly more calmly.

"And what answers did you give her?" Freddie pressed impatiently.

"Nothing too explicit, I was a little too freaked out for that kind of explanation about the birds and the bees. It was more of a moral discussion than a biological one." Carly responded truthfully.

"Thank God. How did it go?" Freddie asked tentatively.

"I guess it went okay. I think Carly heard what I had to say and took it to heart. But I think you should go up there too and talk to her too." Carly advised slowly.

"Do I have to talk about a man and woman's body parts?" Freddie questioned in horror.

"No, I don't think so, at least not today. Just see if she's okay I guess and give her some words of encouragement as her Dad." Carly prompted reasonably.

"Okay, I can do that. I'm good at pep talks." Freddie stated hurriedly, psyching himself up for the conversation looming ahead.

"I know you are." Carly answered with a small smile on her face as she leant in and kissed Freddie gently on the cheek.

"Okay, here goes. Be back soon." Freddie greeted politely, giving Carly a quick peck on the lips before exiting the kitchen and racing up the stairs.

Carly watched him go, the smile evaporating from her face only to be replaced with a look of worry.

"Carly-Bear, it's me." Freddie stated cautiously while knocking gently on his daughter's bedroom door.

"Come in, Dad." Carly Marissa's voice beckoned courteously.

Freddie entered the bedroom and found Carly Marissa sitting in Sam's old rocking chair that used to be in the nursery when she was a baby. He gave her a small smile before kneeling down in front of her and kissing her softly on the cheek.

_I know a girl_

_She puts the colour inside of my world_

_But she's just like a maze_

_Where all of the walls are continually changed_

"Hey, Little Miss Nobody."

"Hi, Daddy."

"How was school?"

"Not so good."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Mom already told you everything, didn't she?"

"Pretty much. Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really. Mom already had a talk with me about things and I feel a little better." Carly Marissa answered truthfully.

"That's good. Did Mom's conversation…help?" Freddie questioned hesitantly.

"She had a lot of good points." Carly Marissa offered lightly.

"That's really good. Listen, Carly-Bear, I just want you to know that you can always come and talk to me about anything, anytime." Freddie stated sincerely.

"Thanks, Dad." Carly Marissa responded meekly.

_Fathers, be good to your daughters_

_Daughters will love like you do_

_Girls become lovers, who turn into mothers_

_So mothers, be good to your daughters too_

A few seconds of silence ensued before Little Carly addressed her father once more.

"Dad?"

"Yeah, kiddo?"

"Can I ask you something? Something kinda…personal?"

"Sure, sweetheart."

"With your first time…did you wait to do it with someone special that you loved?" Carly Marissa asked hesitantly.

Freddie gazed at his daughter's face for a few seconds before answering.

"I wish I had. My first time was…it would've been special if it had been with someone that I loved, like your Mom, and with Carly." Freddie answered slowly.

"But you used to hate Mom when you were kids. How did you end up falling in love with her?" Carly Marissa probed seriously.

"I didn't hate her, Carly-Bear. It wasn't an easy friendship with your Mom back in middle school; most of the time I think we just stayed friends because of Carly. But things did change for me and your Mom in college; when she was studying Art at the Rhode Island School of Design, the truth is that I did miss her while she was away, though I'd never admit that to anyone else. And when she came to WSU with me and Carly in our final year…something changed for me, Carly-Bear. I began to see your Mom in a different light, and I liked what I saw, especially when it was just the two of us talking and getting to know each other all over again. We fell in love with each other as time went on. You were a product of that love that your Mom and I shared, and that's something I will always cherish." Freddie responded sincerely.

"And what about Carly?" Carly Marissa asked gently.

"I loved Carly too, even longer than I loved your Mom for. But I was also just a kid when I was holding a candle for her, waiting for her to love me back. It took me a long time to figure out that there was a good chance that Carly might not ever return my feelings, so I gave up on her. In some ways, I wished I hadn't let her go. But if I hadn't, that means I wouldn't have had your Mom (if only for a little while) and I wouldn't have you right now, and I would definitely regret that. I've been really lucky, to have found two special women that I loved and who loved me back in my life. And now I have the evidence of that love sitting in front of me: you and your sister."

"Don't let stupid people run you down and tease you; they're just insecure because they don't have an identity of their own to be proud of. You know exactly who you are and you should never be ashamed of that, Carly. And I know that the time will come when you will experience your first kiss and your first time with someone. But when it does happen, I want you to promise me something first." Freddie stated frankly.

"What, Daddy?" Carly Marissa questioned innocently.

"When you do decide to have…sex one of these days, just promise me that you won't do it because you feel pressured in any way by your friends or by any guy. You're special and you deserve to have your first time with someone who loves you and who respects you. I'd hope that you would at least wait till marriage, but I won't have any illusions about that. Just promise me that you'll be safe and use all the necessary protection. I'm too young to have grandkids." Freddie pleaded with only a slight teasing note in his tone.

"I promise, Daddy." Carly Marissa returned truthfully before hopping off of the rocking chair and hugging Freddie tightly.

_Boys, you can break_

_You'll find out how much they can take_

_Boys will be strong_

_And boys soldier on_

_But boys would be gone without the warmth from_

_A woman's good, good heart_

Freddie's hands moved around Carly Marissa's waist while he hugged her tightly, fighting down tears that were threatening to fall from his eyes.

"I love you, Carly-Bear." Freddie whispered fiercely.

"I love you too, Daddy." Carly Marissa breathed softly against his ear as she kissed him on the cheek while sobbing quietly.

When they finally broke apart, Freddie retrieved a handkerchief from his dress shirt pocket and handed it to his daughter so she could dry her tears.

_On behalf of every man_

_Looking out for every girl_

_You are the guide and the weight of her world_

"So just to be clear, Matthew Inkleberry hasn't given you your first real kiss yet?" Freddie questioned incredulously in his efforts to lighten the mood.

"No, Dad, still just a kiss on the cheek." Carly Marissa remarked dryly.

"Good, let's keep it that way." Freddie stated frankly.

"Dad," Carly Marissa whined reproachfully.

"Fine, you can kiss whoever you want. Just don't tell me about it." Freddie returned more seriously, extending his pinky finger towards his daughter.

"Deal." Carly Marissa replied with a beaming smile before interlocking their pinky fingers together.

"Come on, let's go back downstairs and rescue your Mom from Sam." Freddie suggested quickly, knowing all too well about Sam's antics at the dinner table when it came to disposing of her food by throwing it at other people.

"Okay." Carly Marissa agreed readily as she and Freddie exited her bedroom.

_So fathers, be good to your daughters_

_Daughters will love like you do_

_Girls become lovers, who turn into mothers_

_So mothers, be good to your daughter's too_

"I meant what I said. You can always come to me and your Mom for anything." Freddie reiterated as they slowly descended the stairwell.

"Even if I kill someone and have to hide the body?"

"Even then."

"What if it's Claire Stewart's body?"

"In that case, the answer's no. Let your Mom and I handle that one."

"Mom says she has a few colourful words for Mr. and Mrs. Stewart."

"I'm sure she does."

"You're going to stop her from calling Mrs. Stewart a low-class Skunk Bag, right?"

"Only if I get to say it first."

"You're the best Dad ever."

"I know."

The two of them grinned at each other one last time before Freddie ruffled Carly Marissa's hair slightly, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as they entered the kitchen together.

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**Musical References:**

**1) **"**Ugly" by the Sugababes**

**2) **"**Daughters" by John Mayer**

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**Author's Note: Alright, what did you guys think? Not a very conventional talk about the birds and the bees, but I was playing it safe : ) Despite what any of you may think, I am no ****connoisseur of sex discussions in any sense of the words. So if you were looking for tips, I am the last person you should be asking ; ) I do apologise if I inadvertently upset anyone with my soccer rant above, I just really don't like people who besmirch the good name of sportsmanship in soccer or have a go at my fellow countrymen when I personally think we haven't done too badly with organising the 2010 World Cup. Now, onto the final chapter. Slight spoiler alert: it'll be a long chappie. So bring supplies and plan your day accordingly, 'kay? Snapplelinz with cough syrup!**


	14. iTake The Next Step

**Author's Note: Alrighty-roo, here it is, folks! The final chapter for this collection of M-rated Creddie endeavours for "iLost And Found". If you saw my previous A/N, you'll know that this is a long chapter up ahead. But in case you didn't know, hopefully you know now. I think this has to be a record, I've gotta stop being so long-winded, lol : ) Okay, you've got a lot to get through below, so take your time and drink lots of fluids throughout so you don't dehydrate. Ooh and more important than sustenance, don't forget to review!**

**Disclaimer: Hopefully, this will be the last time I admit to not owning iCarly. I hope.  
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_**Five years later…**_

**28 July, 2037**

It was a warm summer's night, something very unusual according to Seattle's standards. The party had died down about 30 minutes prior, half of the graduation cake devoured during the course of the evening. The guests had finally dispersed and Marissa and Freddie had begun on washing the dishes while Carly made sure that Sam was already tucked in for bed. She came back downstairs and proceeded with helping her husband and mother-in-law by putting the more expensive silverware in the dishwasher.

"Oh wow, look at that. You're almost finished." Carly marvelled in awe as she entered the kitchen once more.

"What can I say? Us Bensons know how to get things done." Freddie responded smoothly, his signature smirk etched on his face.

"I knew there was a reason I married you." Carly murmured demurely while planting an affectionate kiss on Freddie's lips.

Marissa grinned at her son and daughter-in-law, inwardly musing over how they had been married for 9 years already and were still very much in love.

"Is Sam finally asleep?" Marissa inquired quickly.

"I doubt it, but at least she's tucked in for the night. I think she'll be too wired to sleep tonight." Carly replied frankly.

"That's understandable. She's just excited about flying clear across the country tomorrow morning." Freddie joined in nonchalantly.

"I know, but maybe we shouldn't have her let stay up so late for Carly's graduation party. She's going to be completely hyperactive during the flight now." Carly complained wearily.

"You're fighting a losing battle there, Carly. Sam would've kicked up a storm all night long if you hadn't let her celebrate with her older sister." Marissa responded knowingly.

"I know. But sometimes I think Sam's got a little too much 'Puckett' in her." Carly pondered dryly.

"More than a little. Did you see what she did to Eric Coleman last week when he told her she looked pretty?" Freddie asked laughingly.

"See? Mrs. Coleman called me this morning to let me know that the doctors managed to set the bone in Eric's elbow." Carly retorted sarcastically.

"Oh dear me, Sam really is quite spirited for an 8-year old girl. Have you considered putting her on some kind of medication to calm her down?" Marissa queried in a professional manner.

"She's already on a dosage of Ritalin for her ADD." Carly answered tiredly.

"Oh that's right. Well, if the Ritalin doesn't work for Sam in the end, you could always try a choke collar with the little shock waves along the sides. I had to use one on Freddie when he was about 5 years old-"

"Mom! How many more of those stories are you going to end up telling before I'm eventually 6 feet under?" Freddie interjected exasperatedly amidst Carly's sudden shriek of laughter.

"I'm sorry, honey. I thought Carly already knew that story." Marissa apologised meekly.

"No, I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that story. What happened?" Carly asked laughingly, tears appearing in her eyes.

"That's not important. We're not using a flea collar on our own daughter." Freddie responded sternly.

"Of course not." Carly agreed rapidly, hiccoughing slightly from her continuous chuckling.

"It was just a suggestion. I don't think Sam's behaviour is anywhere near such drastic measures yet." Marissa chided soothingly.

"Just when I thought we were done with the neighbourhood kids suffering at the hands of yet another Benson girl." Freddie mumbled sardonically, thinking back to the time when Carly Marissa had given her classmate a black eye for teasing her.

"Carly and Sam are sisters. Sam had to pick it up from somewhere" Carly replied warmly, a small smile on her face while she stroked her husband's cheek affectionately.

"With any luck, Sam might end up marrying one of the boys she constantly terrorises. Carly's dating Matthew, so we already know that she takes after her mom in that respect" She added with a mischievous wink, causing Marissa to laugh uproariously.

Freddie rolled his eyes while he thought about his eldest daughter's serious boyfriend of nearly a year and a half. If nothing else, he had to give Reuben's son credit for putting in time and effort to get Carly to see him as more than just a loyal friend who had been desperately in love with her since they were both 8 years old. He smiled momentarily at the thought, marvelling at how similar the story was to his own quest to win Carly Shay over.

_Come gather 'round people_

_Wherever you roam_

_And admit that the waters_

_Around you have grown_

And here were they now with a family of their own, back in Seattle where it had all began. His company had opened up a new division in Seattle after Sam had turned 4 years old and Carly had been preparing to enter junior high at her school. Mr. Prewitt had offered Freddie a promotion as a software-design consultant with the new division which included a higher salary, better perks and security of tenure.

Naturally, Freddie and Carly had spoken about it at length before they had finally made their decision together, taking the launch of Carly's newest talk show into account as well. It was lucky that Carly's 2-year contract had already ceased and she had still been in the midst of negotiations with the TV network for the possibility of a renewed contract. With help from many of her numerous radio and TV connections, Carly had heard about the possibility of a local TV station back in Seattle creating a new talk show that was looking for a new host.

Then after teaming up with the former producer of her radio show on WILD 94.5, Carly had created a viable proposal which she pitched to the TV station in question, which promised loyal viewership and more money for both her and the network. After several months of negotiation, the network had finally accepted the proposal and thus, "The Emerald Queen" with Carly Shay as its host was born. The show had done extraordinarily well since its inception and like the success of her former radio show, Carly Shay had managed to attract a wide viewership from both a younger and older audience, albeit slightly more of a female viewership.

It had been a teary affair when it came to saying goodbye to San Francisco and their home, both of which they had celebrated many years in together as a family. Freddie spent a good deal of time alone in the house by himself a few days before the move, saying his own farewells to the home which contained so many memories of him and Sam, both good and bad. And then they were finally on their way to Seattle, their home away from home. It had taken Freddie and Carly several months to find a new place to live that both little Sam and Carly Marissa approved of before they found the perfect home: a double-storey 4-bedroomed house with a spacious garden filled with an array of luscious vegetation and two swings.

That had been 5 years ago. And now Carly Marissa was 18 years old, having graduated from Ridgeway High at the top of her class a week ago and about to embark on a new adventure: college. Class didn't start for another two weeks, but the whole family was flying with Carly Marissa the next day to go and inspect her new dorm (and for Freddie to ensure that her new roommate wasn't pierced, tattooed or a Satan-worshipper) and help her adjust to her new settings.

_And accept it that soon_

_You'll be drenched to the bone_

_If your time to you_

_Is worth savin'_

_Then you'd better start swimming'_

_Or you'll sink like a stone_

_For the times, they are a-changin'_

"That she does. With any luck, they'll have time apart for a year before colliding sharply with one another in front of the 'Admissions Office' in a cataclysmic reunion of epic proportions." Freddie mused evilly.

His smile vanished when he was met with two mutual scowls from his wife and his mother.

"Of course I mean it'll be good for their relationship in the long run, a little time apart. As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder." Freddie concluded smoothly with a sheepish grin.

"Good answer. I'm gonna go check on Carly and see if she's okay." Carly suggested with a small smile on her face.

She pecked Freddie on the lips one last time before walking up the stairs towards Carly Marissa's bedroom door. She knocked softly on the door that stood ajar and waited patiently with a basket of fresh laundry in her arms.

"Come in," Carly Marissa beckoned politely.

Carly entered the bedroom and gazed around her. Then her eyes fell on her eldest daughter, who currently had her back to her and was bent over what looked like a large suitcase which lay resting atop her bed. When Carly Marissa finally turned around, Carly couldn't help but smile at how much she'd grown. Gone was the girl who used to love dressing in her favourite pink and white polka dot dress who took Mr. Snuffington everywhere she went.

She still had those cute dimples of hers, those greenish-hazel orbs that were a perfect amalgamation of Freddie and Sam's eye colours and that same black-brown hair which had grown steadily lighter the older she got. But she was now a good 5-foot tall and her hair now hung over her shoulders down towards the middle of her back. In spite of Seattle's relentless cold winters, Carly Marissa had managed to retain vestiges of her copper tanned skin tone which had flourished during her summers in California as a child. Carly couldn't help inwardly marvelling at how much Carly looked like Sam.

"Hey, Mom." Carly Marissa greeted with a small smile while flicking her hair out of her face.

"Hey, honey. Everything okay?" Carly asked in a concerned tone.

"Uh-huh. I'm just packing in the rest of my stuff." Carly Marissa answered swiftly while gesturing with her hand towards her bed where the rest of her clothes lay.

"You took your Hannah Montana posters down," Carly noted after a minute of scanning the bare walls.

"Yeah I did, they were getting faded anyway. Fresh start, right?" Carly Marissa asked, feigning cheerfulness.

"Right." Carly confirmed with a small smile on her face.

"Look what I found at the back of my closet." Carly Marissa stated quickly, changing the subject.

Carly chuckled when Carly Marissa handed her a glittering object.

"Your Hannah Montana microphone." Carly responded brightly while fingering the counterfeit encrusted jewellery along the sides.

"Uncle Shane got it for my 8th birthday. I used to love playing with it every day after school and singing along to all of her songs." Carly Marissa mused nostalgically.

"I remember. There was someone else you used to love playing with when you were a little girl too. Look who I found in the attic yesterday." Carly remarked mysteriously while rummaging around in the laundry basket underneath some of Carly Marissa's clean clothes.

A few seconds later, Carly Marissa squealed in delight when her mother produced Mr. Fluffy Snuffington Esq. Her oldest companion. After spending several years in the attic, the golden-brown tinge of his fur had grown dull and his black button eyes had faded to a dark brown. But his tuxedo was still as immaculate as ever.

"Oh my God! Mr. Snuffington! Look how good he looks! His tuxedo still looks brand new!" Carly Marissa gushed while hugging the little bear close to her chest.

"That's because I put him in the washing machine and gave him a good grooming." Carly answered simply.

"Wow. I took him with me everywhere I went: school, Chucky Cheese, the dentist. I used to love playing with him all the time. Seems like a lifetime ago." Carly Marissa mused nostalgically while holding Mr. Snuffington close and staring into his eyes.

"I guess it was." Carly agreed softly, watching her daughter's face all the while.

She was taken aback when tears began running suddenly down Carly Marissa's cheeks.

"Hey, what's wrong, honey?" Carly asked in concern, dashing towards Carly Marissa's pedestal to retrieve some tissues.

She came and sat down next to Carly Marissa while she continued sobbing quietly, dabbing at her eyes all the while.

"Thanks. Oh God, I'm just being silly. I'm sorry." Carly Marissa apologised meekly, trying to get her emotions under control.

"It's okay. There's nothing to be sorry about." Carly returned kindly in an understanding tone with a small smile on her face.

"I promised myself that I wouldn't start crying again. And then you came and brought Mr. Snuffington in," Carly Marissa explained haphazardly before the tears began running once again.

"It's okay to be sad about everything you're leaving behind, Carly. It's only natural, you're just growing up." Carly stated reassuringly while rubbing Carly Marissa's back soothingly.

"Well growing up is stupid. Why do I have to leave everything I know and love behind? Why can't I just be 8 years old again, taking Mr. Snuffington everywhere I go? I'm scared, Mom." Carly Marissa admitted in a trembling voice amidst her sobs.

"What are you afraid of, Carly?" Carly asked seriously while removing several strands of her daughter's hair away from her cheeks.

"I'm scared of everything changing. Am I going to the right college? Should I be going to a college that's so far away from everything? Away from you and Dad? Sam? Matt?" Carly Marissa asked morosely.

_Come writers and critics_

_Who prophesize with your pain_

_And keep your eyes wide_

_The chance won't come again_

_And don't speak too soon_

_For the wheel's still in spin_

_And there's no tellin'who it's namin'_

"Am I sure that you're going to the right college? Of course I'm sure. It's a great college and I'm sure that you'll be very happy there. But it's not my opinion that matters the most, it's yours. Will you be happy there?" Carly questioned earnestly.

"I think I'll love going there. It's a great institution and I think I'll make a lot of friends too. I guess I'm still wondering a little though about what happens with dancing now." Carly Marissa replied soberly.

At the start of her senior year of high school, Carly Marissa had been offered a place with a prestigious dancing company due to her exceptional technique in ballet and tap-dancing, which she had kept at studiously throughout her schooling years. After much deliberation, Carly Marissa had turned down the offer, saying that she wanted to go to college instead of touring the country and the globe indefinitely and pursue her other passions such as law and debate.

"That's entirely up to you. Dancing's only a part of who you are as a person; it's not your entire identity. If you're worried that you're disappointing your Mom somehow, you're not. She would be proud of you no matter what course you take in your life." Carly responded sincerely.

"You think so?" Carly Marissa asked meekly.

"I know so." Carly replied assuredly.

"There's nothing stopping you from pursuing dancing full-time if that's what you want. Your Dad and I will be proud of you no matter what you do, as long as you're happy doing it." Carly reiterated seriously, giving Carly Marissa's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

_For the loser now_

_Will be later to win_

_For the times, they are a-changin'_

"Thanks, Mom." Carly Marissa replied

"Anytime. Anything else bothering you?" Carly pressed intuitively.

"Just thinking about me and Matt. Do you think we're doing the right thing going to separate colleges?" Carly Marissa questioned softly.

"Before I say anything, let me ask you something first. Do you love him, Carly?" Carly asked carefully.

"I do." Carly Marissa answered without hesitation.

"And does he love you?"

"He does."

"Then that's all you need to know."

"But how can it be as easy as that?" Carly Marissa demanded exasperatedly.

"I never said it would be easy for the two of you to be apart." Carly returned matter-of-factly.

"Then how will we be able to do it?"

"You can visit each other in-between semesters, you can talk on the phone, there's email. And your Dad bought you a web-cam for your birthday not too long ago." Carly provided reasonably.

She sighed loudly when Carly Marissa continued to look forlorn.

"I know it'll suck to be away from Matt and you'll miss him a lot. Honey, I know what you're going through. When your Dad and I first started dating, we were apart for months before I finally moved to San Francisco to begin our lives together. It was really hard for me to be apart from him too." Carly went on in a sombre tone.

"But how did you get through it?"

"I don't know really. I guess I just started with reassuring myself first that I loved him and that he loved me and that we were apart for a good reason, not because we didn't want to be together. And then you keep yourself busy: with class, with friends, with all your favourite activities. You keep living your life no matter what happens. And you work at your relationship with Matt because it can't survive on love alone. You have to talk to each other and make time for each other, even when you're both away at college. If it's meant to be, then you and Matt will find a way to make it work."

"I hope you're right."

"Me too. Do you remember our first ever conversation about 'sex'?"

"Remember? How could I forget? It was right after I punched Claire Stewart in the eye in the 7th grade!" Carly Marissa exclaimed laughingly, causing Carly to laugh uproariously in turn.

"Why do you ask?" Carly Marissa asked more seriously once their laughter had subsided.

"What I told you then applies here too. Everything happens at a different time for different people. Just don't rush into anything before you've had time to think it over and always be ready to stand behind any decision you make, even when it's wrong. But most importantly, have fun and try to live your life as best as you can. Life's an adventure, Carly." Carly concluded succinctly.

"I'll try to remember that." Carly Marissa answered meekly with a tiny chuckle.

"Everything's gonna be okay. Come here," Carly implored gently, opening her arms wide towards her daughter.

Carly Marissa acquiesced and moved into the embrace, wrapping her arms around her mother's waist as they hugged one another. When they finally disentangled themselves, Carly Marissa had an unreadable expression on her face.

_Come senators, congressmen_

_Please heed the call_

_Don't stand in the doorway_

_Don't block up the hall_

_For he that gets hurt_

_Will be who has stalled_

"What is it? Is there something on my face?" Carly asked self-consciously, slightly perturbed by the penetrating stare her daughter was currently giving her.

"No, it's not that. It's just that…it really sucked not having Mom in my life. I miss her every day. But you've always been there for me in every way that counts. I know I haven't always made it easy for you, but I really appreciate you sticking with me through thick and thin. I'm really glad that you and Dad worked things out and got together in the end. You're a great Mom; I guess I just wanted to say thanks for everything you've ever done for me. Mom would be proud of you too." Carly Marissa responded genuinely, finally meeting Carly's eye.

Then it was Carly who was crying now as she enveloped Carly Marissa in yet another tight hug, the two of them content to stay that way for close to a minute.

"Thank you. I love you so much, Carly-Bear. I always will," Carly whispered vehemently in her daughter's ear while she held her close.

"Thanks, Mom. I love you too." Carly Marissa replied earnestly.

"Oh no, now you're crying." She remarked woefully when she saw the tear stains on Carly's cheeks.

"It's okay, these are just happy tears, sweetheart. Promise." Carly stated warmly, stroking Carly Marissa's cheek affectionately.

_There's a battle outside ragin'_

_It'll soon shake your windows_

_And rattle your walls_

_For the times, they are a-changin'_

Freddie and Marissa found the two Carly's in the same position a minute later when they entered the bedroom.

"Oh no, more tears." Freddie greeted grimly while glancing between his wife and eldest daughters.

"Is everything okay?" Marissa asked worriedly.

"Everything's fine, Grandma. Mom and I were just talking about tomorrow." Carly Marissa responded hurriedly.

"I'm actually glad you're both here. There's some stuff I'd like to say to you before we leave tomorrow." She added in a more serious tone.

"O-kay. What's up, Baby Girl?" Freddie questioned carefully.

Carly Marissa got to her feet as she addressed both her father and grandmother.

_Come mothers and fathers_

_Throughout the land_

_And don't criticize_

_What you can't understand_

_Your sons and your daughter_

_Are beyond your command_

"Tomorrow's a big day for me; it's the beginning of my future and the rest of my life. But I wouldn't have gotten this far without the two of you. Grandma, you've always been there for me since I was a baby. You've been more than just my Grandma; you've been a mother to me too ever since Mom died. You've been to every single school play, every ballet recital and I can't thank you enough for supporting me through everything. You're my constant, my rock. I love you so much." Carly Marissa began earnestly as the tears began falling down her cheeks once more.

"Oh, sweetheart." Marissa murmured softly as she hugged her granddaughter tightly, her own face stained with fresh tears.

"There's no where else I would've been except with you and your Dad. Not just because your Mom died, but because you're my family, my everything. I love you so much and I'm so proud of you." Marissa whispered fiercely in her granddaughter's ear before kissing her on the cheek.

"Thanks, Grandma." Carly Marissa replied graciously before turning to face Freddie.

"Dad, where do I even begin? I know it was really hard for you after Mom died, but you've always been there for me through everything. You've always gone above and beyond for me. Your love has always been so unconditional for me and you've been an amazing role-model for me to follow. You are honestly the best Dad a girl could ever have. And I'm just so glad that you get to be mine." Carly Marissa concluded vehemently as she began sobbing once more.

Freddie smiled broadly as he put his arms around his daughter and hugged her tightly. Both Carly and Marissa were surprised to find that there were unshed tears in his eyes, since Freddie only cried on very rare occasions.

"Aw, Carly-Bear, thank you so much. You are everything I could've hoped for and more in a daughter. You're beautiful, smart, talented, and you have an amazing heart. You were destined to do great things with your life and I couldn't be happier about the choices you've made. Your mom would be really proud of you, kiddo." Freddie replied sincerely while kissing Carly Marissa on the forehead.

"Thanks, Dad. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Little Miss Nobody, always. And don't you ever forget it."

Marissa came to sit next to Carly on Carly Marissa's bed, the two of them sobbing quietly together. Carly wordlessly handed Marissa a tissue, which Marissa then proceeded to blow her nose with loudly.

_Your old road is rapidly agin'_

_Please get out of the new one_

_If you can't lend your hand_

_For the times, they are a-changin'_

"Hey, what's with all this sad chizz? Why's everybody crying?"

The four of them all jumped to their feet in fright at the unexpected appearance of little Sam in the bedroom.

Anyone who ever saw her would immediately know that she was Carly's daughter. She looked almost exactly the way Carly did at her age; but Sam's hair was more of a dark brown colour which contrasted with her mother's raven black hair. But the rest was uncannily similar: the slanted eyes that were a mesh of both Carly and Freddie's brown eyes, the petite nose, the sizable dimples on both cheeks. Even Sam's smile was the same was as her mother's, albeit more mischievous.

Despite being extremely hyperactive (due to her ADD which lessened with time), Sam was very intelligent (Freddie's influence no doubt), far more advanced than many of her peers and she had a lovable quality that endeared most people to her. But both Freddie and Carly knew better than to get too lost in those puppy dog eyes of Sam's. For she had used them on many an occasion to get her own way or to avoid trouble after beating up one of the neighbourhood boys yet again. In more ways than one, Samantha Emily Benson truly did emulate many qualities of her older counterpart that had gone before her.

"Sam!" the three adults and teenager screamed in unison.

"You scared us half to death!" Carly scolded reproachfully, clutching a lone hand to her chest.

"How many times have we told you not to sneak up on us like that?" Freddie demanded exasperatedly.

"Sorry. What can I say? I've got moves like a ninja. Besides, you probably wouldn't have heard me over all the wailing going on in here. Who died?" Sam questioned incredulously.

"No one died, sweetheart. We're just reminiscing about the good old days." Marissa answered truthfully.

"I thought you were supposed to be in bed sleeping, Missy." Carly stated sternly while fixing her youngest daughter with a beady eye.

"I heard everybody talking." Sam explained nonchalantly.

"Well everyone's done talking now, so it's time for you to pop off to bed so you won't be crabby in the morning." Freddie instructed frankly.

"Carry me?" Sam asked sweetly of her father with big puppy-dog eyes.

Not being able to resist that smile of hers, Freddie obliged and allowed Sam to get onto his back.

"This used to be cute when you were 4 years old. But now you're 8 years old and about to throw my back out," Freddie quipped dryly as he got a firm grip on Sam's wriggling body behind him.

"Say goodnight to Grandma and your sister, Sam." Carly commanded gently.

"Night, Grandma. Night, Carly." Sam greeted warmly.

"Night, Sammy." Carly Marissa greeted softly with a small smile on her face.

"Night, honey-bunch. Don't let the bed bugs bite." Marissa greeted in turn.

Carly went behind Freddie, stood on her tiptoes and kissed Sam lightly on the forehead.

"Goodnight, sweetheart." Carly greeted, a content smile etched on her face.

"Night, Mommy." Sam greeted affectionately before she and Freddie disappeared out the door.

"Night, Carly-Bear. Try and get some sleep." Freddie ordered over his shoulder as he strolled down the hallway.

"Okay, Dad." Carly Marissa called out after him as she turned to face her mother and grandmother again.

"Your Dad's right, we'd all better get ready for bed. We've gotta be at the airport at least an hour before our flight while everyone comes to see us off." Marissa remarked rapidly.

"Who's all coming?" Carly Marissa inquired innocently.

"Uncle Gibby, Uncle Shane, Uncle Spencer, Aunt Melanie and Grandma Puckett." Carly explained quickly.

"Sweet. I'm really glad I'll be able to see Grandma one last time before we leave. I'm really glad she came to my graduation party." Carly Marissa admitted seriously.

"Are you kidding? You're her favourite granddaughter; she wouldn't have missed it for the world." Marissa offered kindly while cupping her granddaughter's cheek softly.

"Thanks, Grandma."

"We'll see you in the morning then. Sweet dreams, Little Miss Nobody." Carly greeted nostalgically before embracing her eldest daughter once more.

Marissa joined in on the hug as she kissed Carly Marissa on the forehead one last time as she and her daughter-in-law finally took their leave of her.

"Night, Mom. Night, Grandma."

And then they were gone and she was finally alone with her thoughts. Carly Marissa heaved her hefty suitcase off her bed and stowed it near the door as she got ready to settle into sleep. After climbing under her duvet, Carly Marissa grabbed her cellphone off the pedestal before switching off her lamp, plunging her entire bedroom in darkness. She began scrolling through her 'recently called' list, landing on the name right at the top. She clicked the green dialling icon and waited till she heard his voice on the other end.

"You've reached Matt 'Gigahertz' Inkleberry: computer whizz extraordinaire and translator for the socially awkward. How may I be of service?" a low professional voice greeted concisely.

"Yes, hi. I'm looking for my boyfriend, Matt. You might know him: Tall, medium-length sandy blonde hair, handsome, and he's got the bluest eyes for miles around. Cool, suave, and doesn't answer the phone with a geeky jingle about a giggle-jam server." Carly Marissa greeted back with a teasing air.

"That's gigahertz. And the greeting itself was about services I could possibly render to the caller. Are you looking for any particular services that need to be performed?" Matt asked suavely.

"Only from my boyfriend, Matt, whom I desperately need to get in touch with." Carly Marissa answered woefully, feigning urgency.

"I'm terribly sorry to hear that. Are you quite sure there's nothing I can help you with?" Matt asked in a low and rich tenor.

Carly Marissa bit her bottom lip, unable to stop the wide smile that was fast appearing on her face.

"I'm afraid not, it has to be my boyfriend who helps me. He knows about everything I like most in the world." Carly Marissa responded demurely.

"Sounds like a smart guy. And thanks for making fun of my jingle by the way." Matt stated dryly, dropping the act altogether.

"Sorry, but you left yourself wide open for endless mockery and ridicule." Carly Marissa answered brightly, loving how exasperated her boyfriend was getting with her.

"For your information, my knowledge of computers and social skills could prove very useful for college. I could start my own business after graduation." Matt pointed out reasonably.

"I could understand that with your knowledge of computers, but not with translation, since your Dad is still your only customer." Carly Marissa teased lightly.

"Touché. But you have to admit, it gets easier to understand what he's saying the more time you spend around him." Matt remarked airily with a broad grin on his face.

"True. And it really does make watching football games way more interesting when your Dad insists on telling the quarterback to rub his phalanges together right before kicking a field goal." Carly Marissa answered gleefully.

"Very true. But I'm guessing you didn't call me to talk about my Dad's phalanges. What's up?" Matt asked gently.

"I just wanted to hear your voice." Carly Marissa admitted seriously, a small frown creasing her features.

"Which you heard at your graduation party an hour ago. What's wrong?" Matt persisted anxiously.

"I guess I just missed you," Carly Marissa responded quietly.

"Well then, just give me 10 minutes and I'll climb through your bedroom window." Matt suggested warmly.

"Could you climb through my window every night from now on?" Carly Marissa questioned wistfully.

"Of course I could. But I should warn you, it gets harder to do when you're crossing over land and sea first just to get to you. But I'd do it for you every night if you wanted." Matt replied lightly.

"I'm serious, Matt."

"So am I. What's wrong, Carly?"

"I'm sad about leaving tomorrow. I know this is what I want, I know this what we both want. But what if we're making a mistake being apart for so long?"

"We're not making a mistake, Carly. Do you want to be one of those couples who see each other every single day, only for the passion to burn out?"

"No, but I also don't want to be one of those couples who never see each other, just for the exact same thing to happen either." Carly Marissa retorted sarcastically.

"Let me ask you something: do you love me, Carly?" Matt asked seriously.

"You know I do."

"And do you think I love you?"

"I'm starting to have my doubts." Carly Marissa remarked dryly with a light chuckle.

Matt said nothing in response, but waited intuitively for Carly Marissa to sigh loudly on the other end before addressing his question directly.

"I know you love me." Carly Marissa breathed softly, her voice crackling in earnest through the receiver.

"Then that's all that matters. That's all we need to know." Matt answered confidently.

"That's funny, my Mom said the exact same thing to me earlier." Carly Marissa noted pensively.

"I always said your Mom was pretty smart."

"She also said that we can't last on love alone and that we have to work at our relationship too."

"That's pretty smart advice."

"In theory."

"It doesn't have to be in theory. It can be for real with you and me."

"I want it to be."

"So let it be. Sometimes, you just need to let yourself go and not think so much about it, Carly." Matt answered gently.

"I guess I just need to know why you love me so much. What is it about me that just makes you…feel…that way?" Carly Marissa asked self-consciously.

"It's everything, Carly: your smile, your laugh, your mind, your smokin' hot body, your heart. But mostly, I like the way you make me feel; like I'm more of myself when I'm with you. It's more than just that you 'get me'; you fill me up inside and out, like I'll never feel out of place ever again. Being with you is like that summer's day in LA 8 years ago every single day. It's just…warm and peaceful; everything about that day just makes me feel alive and happy. And I don't ever wanna lose that feeling, not for a single second. So if I have to be without you for a few years while we both pursue our dreams, then I'm okay with that. As long as you know that no matter what happens, you will always have my heart. And as long as you're willing to give me your heart, that's enough for me. That's what will keep me going till we're together again in person, Carly." Matt murmured fervently, his heart hammering in his chest at the intensity of the words coming out of his mouth.

It was close to 10 seconds before Carly Marissa was able to find her voice again.

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"I… I love you. I really do…love you." Carly Marissa replied with a little more articulation than the previous few seconds.

"I know. But I love…hearing you say it."

"Okay, now you're just making fun of me." Carly Marissa retorted laughingly.

"Never. I love you way too much to ever make fun of you." Matt stated reassuringly.

"Good. I love hearing you say it too. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For always saying the sweetest things since the first day I met you."

"You mean when you punched me in the head and tried to choke me?"

"That was only a few days later."

"Uh-huh. You Benson chicks are crazy, you know that?"

"Some people would describe it as 'passionate'."

"Only because they don't wanna get punched in the head by either you or Sam for telling the truth." Matt teased laughingly.

"Alright, that's enough out of you. We're gonna be okay, right?"

"Of course. It's just you and me from here on out, sch-weetheart."

"I like the sound of that."

"Good, 'cause I'm never letting you out of my sight. You'd better get some shut-eye; you've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow."

"Okay. Think of me while I'm away?"

"I'm always thinking about you."

"I love you, Matt."

"I love you too, Carly."

"Goodnight."

"Night. Sweet dreams."

Carly Marissa hung up her cellphone and placed it back on her pedestal, a silly grin on her face. Her tranquility faded a few seconds later when she heard the sound of her bedroom creaking softly on its hinges.

"You asleep?" a voice whispered through the darkness.

"Sam?" Carly Marissa asked in surprise.

The door opened even wider, the glow of the hallway lights streaming in through the bedroom. Then the door creaked back into place and Carly Marissa felt a faint pressure on her bed.

"What's wrong?" Carly Marissa questioned lightly.

"Can't sleep. Can I stay here with you tonight?" Sam asked in a low whisper.

"Sure. Hop in, kiddo." Carly Marissa returned affectionately, opening up her duvet so that her kid sister could lie beside her.

A few seconds of silence lapsed between them before Sam began speaking.

"How come you're still awake?" she questioned curiously of her oldest sister.

"Couldn't sleep either." Carly Marissa offered nonchalantly.

"Were you talking to Matt again on your cellphone?" Sam asked shrewdly.

"As a matter of fact I was." Carly Marissa replied simply.

"Is he your lover?" Sam crooned in a sickeningly sweet voice that she knew would annoy Carly.

"Maybe." Carly Marissa answered coyly, knowing this tact would throw Sam off completely from starting her usual teasing about her and Matt.

"For real?"

"For real."

"Wow. What's that like?"

"Amazing in a way I can't even begin to explain to you, Sam."

"It's cool if you don't explain it to me. I don't think I'll ever like boys." Sam replied disdainfully.

"Trust me, Sammy-Bear. You'll change your mind with the right boy." Carly Marissa stated with relish.

"I'll take your word for it. You're really going to college in a few weeks' time?" Sam asked in a small voice.

"I'm really going to college in a few weeks' time. Why? You gonna miss me?" Carly Marissa questioned jokingly.

"Of course I'm gonna miss you. Who else is gonna play dolls with me?"

"I never played dolls with you."

"Well now you definitely won't."

"Sorry."

"Me too. Will you miss me while you're gone?"

"Of course I'll miss you, Sammy-Bear. You're my sister and I love you." Carly Marissa answered without hesitation.

"Aw, you're so corny."

"Thanks, that really means a lot to me, Sam."

"Of course it does. But in case you're wondering, I love you too, Carly. You're the best big sister a girl could ever have." Sam returned sincerely.

"Now you're really gonna make me cry."

"Haven't you cried enough today?"

"No. It's really hard to say goodbye."

"How come?"

"Because...Even though I really hated moving here after we lived in San Francisco years ago, I really love it in Seattle now. I'm leaving behind school, my friends, you and Mom and Dad. It's hard growing up." Carly Marissa admitted sombrely.

_The line it is drawn_

_The curse it is cast_

_The slow one now_

_Will later be fast_

_As the present now_

_Will later be past_

"You make it seem pretty easy."

"What makes you say that?"

"Everyone always says how great you are: a great student, a great friend, you're just great at everything."

"That's not true. I'm not great at everything, there's lots of stuff I can't do. I can't cook like Dad can; I'm not as organised as Mom is. And I definitely can't sing like you do, kiddo. That's something you're pretty great at." Carly Marissa returned earnestly.

"Thanks. I guess I just feel like I don't belong sometimes, like I'm not normal." Sam confessed woefully.

"Nobody really is." Carly Marissa offered meekly.

"You grow into your own skin. Don't ever let anyone tell you who to be." She advised seriously.

"Okay. Any other useful tips you wanna give me before you go off to college?" Sam asked inquisitively.

"Hmm...let's see. Always work hard at school; you never know when you might need your brains to bail you out of a crisis. Make lots of friends, but only keep a few close friends and just have one best friend. And never make fun of the band geeks; you might just end up dating one." Carly Marissa concluded slyly.

"Sweet. Any advice for Mom and Dad? Like...ways of avoiding getting into trouble, even when I'm to blame?" Sam asked evilly.

"I'm gonna be straight with you, Sam. There aren't any ways of avoiding punishment from Mom and Dad when you're in trouble. One of them or both of them almost always know when you're responsible for doing something wrong; there's just no way getting around that sad fact. But, I have perfected a few tricks of my own over the years that have delayed punishment or at least made it less unpleasant." Carly Marissa announced proudly near the end.

"Like what? None of my stuff ever works on Mom and Dad." Sam responded wonderingly.

"That's because your stuff sucks. Now listen up closely because I'm only going to repeat this once. If all else fails (like sweet-talk and denial), then the last course of action is an absolute must: tears." Carly Marissa explained grimly.

"Tears?"

"Tears."

"Is that why you're always so weepy whenever you're in trouble?"

"Uh-huh."

"Wow. I just thought you were a complete sap."

"Nuh-uh. I was trying to score brownie points with Mom and Dad so they'd think I was really sorry for whatever I'd done wrong. Tears always work; it's like a rite of passage for women, especially when they've done something to upset a guy. Tears work every time." Carly Marissa persisted.

"Interesting, I think I should try that more often. More tears, less fists."Sam answered pensively.

"You're gonna be just fine, kiddo." Carly Marissa remarked with pride evident in her tone.

"What's scarier than going to college?"Sam questioned unexpectedly.

"What? Where did that come from?" Carly Marissa demanded in bewilderment.

"Just curious I guess. Seriously, what's the scariest thing that's ever happened to you?"Sam pressed impatiently.

While it took Carly Marissa an age to answer some of Sam's previous questions, this particular one took no time at all since it had been foremost in her mind for several weeks now.

"Something scary, huh?"

"Something really scary."

"You want me to tell you?"

"YES!"

"Okay, I might have something. Only, it's not something I'm afraid will happen because it's kind of already happened before."Carly Marissa pointed out awkwardly.

"What was it?"Sam questioned dramatically.

"Okay. You know how my Mom, Sam, died when I was just a baby?"

"Uh-huh."

"Have Mom and Dad ever told you how it happened?"

"Uh-uh."

"Well it's like this. She died because of me."

"How?"

"Dad always said it wasn't my fault, but sometimes I still blame myself."

"Why?"

"Because my mom would never have died if she hadn't been giving birth to me at the time. I made her weak and she couldn't... she couldn't get better again."Carly Marissa lamented soberly.

"Oh. But why does it still make you scared?"

"Because it almost happened again when I was just a kid."

"With who?"

"With you, actually."

"Really? That almost happened to Mommy?"Sam asked fearfully.

"Not exactly. Actually, you were the one who almost died, Sam."

"Me?"Sam asked disbelievingly.

"What happened?"

"Well. Mom was in her thirties when she got pregnant with you. Apparently, it's not good for women Mom's age to have babies because there can be all kinds of problems during the delivery. Anyway, everything was fine till you came a few weeks early before you were supposed to and Mom had to go to the hospital."

"Where were you and Daddy when it happened? Where was Grandma?" Sam pressed eagerly.

Apparently, Carly Marissa's scary story was having the opposite effect on Sam. In fact, Sam appeared to be enjoying the tale a great deal.

"Daddy was at work and Grandma was at hers and Grandpa James' apartment. I was with Mom at the park when she went into labour. Someone in the park called 911 and an ambulance came to pick us up to take us to San Francisco General Hospital where you were born."

"Wow. Then what happened?"

"We got to the hospital 10 minutes later. Then Grandma came with Grandpa James. Then Uncle Gibby and Shane came too, then Dad. Then Dad went in with Mom while the doctors took you out of Mom's belly."

"Cool. Was I okay in the end?" Sam asked wonderingly.

"Well... you were really tiny when you first came out and you couldn't breathe on your own without a machine because your lungs were too small. But after that, you were just fine, Sam. You were perfect. Mom and Dad were so relieved afterwards that they decided to name you after my Mom, Sam and my Grandma, Emily." Carly Marissa concluded wistfully.

"Wow. That was a cool story, Carly. But it wasn't scary." Sam pointed out

"Well, maybe not for you." Carly Marissa quipped dryly.

"Why's it scary for you?"

"Because I'm scared of losing more people I love. And I didn't wanna lose either you or Mom that day. I guess I've always been a little scared ever since my own Mom died. That's why it's hard for me to leave." Carly Marissa confessed seriously.

"But that's silly. It happened a long time ago and we're all okay now. Plus, you'll be back for Christmas again, which is 4 months away. It'll fly by in no time." Sam pointed out reasonably.

"Have I ever told you how smart you are, Sam?" Carly Marissa asked brightly of her youngest sister.

"Nope."

"Well, I'm telling you now. Never change that."

"Okay. Now tell me another story."

"Haven't you had enough yet, kiddo?"

"Uh-uh."

"Okay, but don't blame me if you oversleep tomorrow when we have to be at the airport."

"Deal."

"What story do you wanna hear?"

"I wanna hear the story about how Mom and Dad fell in love."

"You already know that story, Sam. Dad's been in love with Mom since they were kids."

"Not that story. The story about how Dad stopped Mom from marrying another guy."

"That's actually not what happened, kiddo."

"So tell me what did happen."

"Alright, slow your roll. As a matter of fact, the story about how Mom and Dad found each other again all starts with my Mom."

"How?"

"Okay, here's how it started. It was my 8th birthday 10 years ago and my Mom left me some letters and a couple of DVD's…"

* * *

Carly Marissa was having a vivid dream. She dreamt that she was back in San Francisco at her favourite park, swinging on the swings and sailing through the air. As she made her descent back to the ground, she heard the faintest of footsteps coming her way. Carly Marissa frowned and got off the swing, not seeing anyone in front of her.

All of a sudden, she just appeared, as if she had been standing there all along, just out of reach and out of sight. The cogs in Carly's brain began turning rapidly, trying to process it all. She'd seen enough pictures and watched enough home videos to know exactly who it was that stood before her. But it still felt as if her mind was playing tricks on her. She wasn't supposed to be here, at least not in this particular time. Carly had been in this dream a million times and she'd never come, until now. What was she doing here?

"Mom?" Carly Marissa asked hesitantly, taking a few tentative steps towards her.

The woman smiled benignly, gesturing with her hands for Carly to come closer.

Carly Marissa walked a few more paces and then she was finally in front of the woman she'd ached to know all her life.

"Mommy?" she asked painstakingly.

"It's me, Cup Cake." Sam greeted affectionately, her blue eyes sparkling with enigmatic delight.

"What are you doing here?" Carly Marissa questioned wonderingly.

"I just wanted to see you before you go off to college." Sam answered plainly.

"You're really here?"

"I'm really here."

"Wow," Carly Marissa murmured, at a complete loss for words.

She was gazing intently at Sam, who looked radiant in every way. She was wearing a simple white dress that shone brightly against the backdrop of the clear blue sky, making it impossibly bright. She was barefoot and her long curly blonde hair hung over the backs of her shoulders. None of the home videos or photographs that Carly Marissa had ever seen of her mother as a child could ever compare with the vision of loveliness that stood before her, her blue eyes twinkling mysteriously back at her.

"I can't believe it, you're really here. I've had this dream a thousand times and you never showed. It used to give me nightmares." Carly Marissa admitted seriously.

"I know, Baby. I'm really sorry about that." Sam apologised meekly.

"It's okay, I got over it." Carly Marissa commented nonchalantly.

"That's good. How's your life, Carly-Bear?" Sam asked slowly.

"It's good. It's been great actually, in spite of…well, losing you all those years ago."

"How's your Dad?"

"He's good, really happy now."

"That's great, I knew everything would work out."

"Well, I couldn't have done it without you, Mom. If it weren't for your letters and the DVD's, Dad and Carly would never have gotten together 10 years ago."

"What can I say? Mama plays to win." Sam acknowledged assuredly, causing Carly Marissa to laugh heartily in response.

"Did you know they would…you know…get together after…you were gone?" Carly Marissa questioned hesitantly.

"Nope. But I knew they always loved each other. And everyone needs a little help sometimes to get where they're going in life." Sam answered truthfully.

"And how are things with Carly? Has she been a good Mom to you?"

"Yeah, she has. Really caring, attentive, affectionate and loving. She's really cool, actually. But she never let me slack off ever and she always gave me a fair hearing no matter what. She's really great."

"But?"

"How did you know there was a 'but' in there?"

"Mama always knows. What's the 'but'?"

"Like I said, Carly's always been great. It's just that…I still miss you a lot, Mom. I wish you were here." Carly Marissa disclosed sadly.

She almost succumbed to tears right then and there when Sam cupped her cheek gently with her hand and stroked it lightly, her touch feeling incredibly warm.

"Oh, Baby, I know. If there was ever anything I could've changed in the past, it would be to never make you sad about me leaving. If it helps, I didn't want to go; I'd give anything to be with you right now." Sam confessed morosely.

"I know." Carly Marissa conceded bravely.

"That doesn't mean that I'm not still with you, in one way or the other. I'll always be around, Carly. In every rainbow, every smile, every Fat Cake, every thoughtless prank where some poor kid got a wedgie out of it. I'm everywhere." Sam stated warmly, her hand moving towards Carly's and gripping it tightly.

"I'd like to think I'm even in your kid sister a little too," she added with a wink.

"You know about her?" Carly Marissa asked in awe.

"The fact that she's named after me and Grandma was a little hard to miss." Sam joked lightly.

"She is a lot like you, or so Dad, Carly, Grandma, Uncle Gibby and Uncle Spencer tell me." Carly Marissa remarked casually.

"That's awesome. But just so she doesn't end up juvie like I did one of these days, promise me something."

"Anything."

"Look out for her as best as you can. Because, let's face it, every Sam needs a Carly around to make sure she stays out of trouble."

"I'll try my best, Mom."

"I know you will, kiddo."

"And do yourself a favour too and look out for yourself every once in a while, and your happiness. Especially where Matthew Inkleberry's concerned. Sam remarked slyly.

"So I guess you know about him too, huh?" Carly Marissa asked sheepishly.

"Again, not hard to miss that my only daughter is dating Reuben Inkleberry's only son. Seriously, how did that happen?" Sam demanded laughingly.

"A series of fortunate events. Is that okay?"

"As long as he isn't as weird as his Dad used to be and probably still is."

"He's definitely not that weird. He's really sweet and I love him a lot."

"Well, that's cool then. I'm really proud of you, Carly-Bear."

"Even though I'm not going to join some fancy dance troupe now?"

"Your Dad seems to have forgotten how much I hated dancing when I was your age."

"You hated it? But you were so good at it, Mom. Forget good, try awesome." Carly Marissa said in surprise.

"I know. And I guess hate is a strong word. But the point is, I didn't want it to tie me down the way everything else did in my life like my teachers, my Mom, Carly with a bungee cord when I tried to roll Gibby down a hill that one time. I didn't want dancing to put me in a box; I wanted to be free to be whoever I wanted. If dancing makes you happy and makes you free, then you should do it. That's the only reason to do anything in life and not just because you're good at it." Sam answered sincerely.

"Thanks, Mom. I really needed to hear it."

"I'll be proud of no matter what you do or where you end up in your life. Always trust in that."

"I will. Do you have to go again?"

"Not if you don't want me to. What else do you want to talk to about?" Sam questioned curiously.

"I don't know. Is there anything else you have to tell me?"

"I don't think so. How 'bout a game then?"

"Which game?"

"Only your favourite game, Carly-Bear."

Carly's smile shone brilliantly against the backdrop of the blue sky while she gazed back at her mother.

"Really?"

"Really."

"But who will start asking questions first?"

"You can go first. Ask me anything you like, anything in the world."

"Okay."

It took Carly Marissa a few more seconds before she was ready to begin the game as she and Sam sat down on the grass together.

"Okay, here goes: who's your best friend in the whole wide world?"

"Carly Shay."

"Best weather: rainy or sunny?"

"Rainy."

"Favourite food?"

"Fat Cakes."

"Stripes or polka dots?"

"Polka dots. Stripes are disgusting."

"What's the most annoying letter in the alphabet?"

"Q. It's just pretending to be an 'O' with a stupid fancy tail."

"Have you ever asked a boy out on a date?"

"Just once; it was Uncle Gibby and it was the 'Ladies Choice' dance, but he said no. So I followed him all around school for days, wondering how he could possibly turn me down when I look like this…"

_The order is_

_Rapidly fadin'_

_And the first one now_

_Will later be last _

_For the times, they are a-changin'_

As Sam rambled on, Carly Marissa could only stare at her and laugh heartily at her mother's silliness. She hoped that there was still a few hours left before this dream had to end. Reality was just a stone's throw away and she couldn't be more thrilled. But for right now, little Carly was more than happy to have this moment with Sam, asking her every question imaginable and getting every answer under the sun. Sure, she'd lost some things along the way. But she'd also found a great many things that no one would ever be able to take from her: life, love and family.

That simple thought caused Carly to roll over into her side while she slept, a wide smile playing on her face while she dreamt on.

* * *

**Musical References:**

**1) **"**The Times They Are A-Changin'" by Bob Dylan**

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**Author's Note: Ah, there's just something so right about beginning and ending this story with Sam Puckett, easily one of my favourite iCarly characters. And what did you guys think about little Carly and little Matthew dating in high school? It definitely opens things up for a second-generation story for the two. If anyone wants to take up the challenge, you're more than welcome to. Okay, I'm officially bummed out. I was so anxious in getting all the chapters out speedily that I forgot to be sad about this being the end. But to distract myself, I'm going to thank everyone who reviewed this story:**

**LionHeart316, DoctrineDark, CreddieShipper, iHeartCreddie, Carl Rahl, mrmuscle, hartful13, MzSCAAgurlliee, themarchgirl, aisforangelaaa, RemDiamond, sockstar, baronvonmilo, Mistyrious One, TooPiAr, CGKO113, StoryTeller125, SilentDeath01, Multi-Shipper Girl, wstrnplsr105, purplethunderxx, TheOmega696969 and purpleheart10. If there's anyone I missed, I really appreciate your reviews too and to all those people who favourited both this series and "iLost And Found", which started it all. **

**Okay, I'm off to do some work on a new iCarly story that i got sudden inspiration for after watching "iFight Shelby Marx". It's a femslash, so if that floats your boat, then take a peek and holler back at me. It's called 'Up Close With Shelby Marx'. Then after that, I'm heading back to my home away from home, The Suite Life domain. I'm writing a new espionage story called 'Mob 33666: Demon', which should be a lot of fun when I eventually start it. So much to write, so little time. Thank you so much, everyone. You've been a delight. Snapplelinz out!  
**


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